After Transmigrating into a Novel, I Became the Female Lead's Stepmother - Chapter 42

Xu Chun wished she could turn back time by just one minute, she felt like dying on the spot right now.

Clutching the milk and bread in her hands, she stood frozen with a stiff smile on her face. Qin Yao walked past her, casting a half-smirk in her direction that seemed to say, I’ll deal with you later.

A shiver ran down Xu Chun’s spine, and suddenly, the breakfast in her hands felt scalding hot.

She immediately wanted to return the food to Zheng Jinchan, but one sharp glance from the latter made her silently abandon the idea. In the end, she steeled herself and thought: Whatever. The barefoot fear no shoes, it’s not like this is the first time I’ve messed up. I’ll get used to it.

Zheng Jinchan had brought three people with her today, sitting directly across from Qin Yao’s team of four. The moment the two women took their seats, the atmosphere at the conference table turned tense, charged with unspoken rivalry.

Xu Chun sat at the far end, exchanging blank stares with Zheng Jinchan’s assistant, while Jiang Zhaolie smoothly booted up her laptop and projected the collaboration proposal onto the screen, delivering a well-structured presentation. Xu Chun straightened her back and listened attentively, not daring to let her mind wander even for a second.

She was so focused that she didn’t notice Zheng Jinchan glancing at her several times during the meeting.

Xu Chun eventually sensed the gaze and turned to look, but Zheng Jinchan would always avert her eyes before their gazes could meet, leaving Xu Chun puzzled every time. She couldn’t help but wonder, Why is Zheng Jinchan sparing even a fraction of her attention on me during such an important meeting? Is this some kind of strategic move to understand the enemy?

Yet, she didn’t detect any hostility in Zheng Jinchan’s scrutiny. If anything, there was more goodwill than anything else.

Now Xu Chun was truly at a loss. But in the brief moment she got distracted, the two sharply dressed women at the table engaged in a battle of wits pushing and pulling, testing each other’s limits before finally reaching a compromise. In the blink of an eye, an agreement was settled, and the collaboration was sealed.

When Xu Chun saw Jiang Zhaolie and Zheng Jinchan’s secretary exchange contracts for review, her mind was flooded with confusion.

…That’s it? It’s over?

Her livestream was still running, and the highly attentive viewers were already buzzing in the comments:

[Zheng Jinchan and Qin Yao really are in a league of their own. With this powerhouse collaboration, their dominance in their respective fields is pretty much unshakable for the foreseeable future.]

[What rock have you been living under? Even without this deal, Zheng Jinchan and Qin Yao were already top-tier in their industries. Even if they dropped dead tomorrow, their names would still go down in history.]

[You clearly have no idea just how influential these two women are.]

[Gotta hand it to Director Guo following his lead means getting to see things we never would’ve dreamed of witnessing in our lifetime.]

[Shouldn’t we be giving credit to Sister Xu here? Following her is like getting a daily dose of mind-blowing revelations. Who knew our once low-key, drama-focused Xu Chun could stir up as much buzz as any of those flashy attention-seekers in the entertainment industry?]

Xu Chun skimmed the comments, unsure whether they were praising her or roasting her.

With the contracts signed, the negotiations officially concluded. Due to the livestream, some finer details couldn’t be discussed openly, but that hardly mattered now.

Every coin has two sides. Riding on the popularity and traffic of Xu Chun’s livestream, even before their collaboration officially began, it had already attracted significant attention. Once the project officially launches in the future, it’s bound to be a massive financial success.

Thinking this, Zheng Jinchan crossed her legs, one high heel resting on the floor as she spun her chair to face Xu Chun. Her usually sharp and domineering expression softened, her eyes brimming with amusement, and even her deep, dangerous-sounding voice gentled considerably. “After filming the variety show, how about taking a part-time job at my company?”

The unexpected job offer caught Xu Chun off guard. She froze for a moment before instinctively glancing at Qin Yao.

Poaching someone right under Qin Yao’s nose, classic Zheng Jinchan.

Noticing Xu Chun’s gaze, Qin Yao arched a brow slightly but remained silent, simply staring at Xu Chun with a “friendly” intensity. Zheng Jinchan’s smile widened. “Why look at her? I’m asking you, not her.” Leaning forward with her elbow on the table, she tilted her head, feigning genuine curiosity. “Are you really that obedient to her?”

“Uh…” Cold sweat trickled down Xu Chun’s back. Zheng Jinchan really couldn’t go a single day without teasing her. She wiped her forehead though there was no actual sweat and used her manager as an excuse. “My schedule is packed for the next two or three years. I probably won’t have any free time.”

“You wouldn’t need to do anything at my company,” Zheng Jinchan said, her smile deepening. “Just lend your name to show you’re affiliated with us. I’ll cover your seven insurances and two pensions, and you’ll get all the same holiday benefits as my other employees.”

Before Xu Chun could respond, the livestream chat exploded with envy. Viewers practically begged to take the offer in her place getting paid for doing nothing? What a dream!

But Xu Chun had always believed that if something sounded too good to be true, it probably was. Straightening up, she grinned shamelessly. “That sounds great! In that case, if your company ever needs endorsements, just come straight to me.” She winked. “Fair prices, no cheating kids and seniors alike.”

Zheng Jinchan studied her for a long moment before suddenly laughing. “Deal.”

With that, she dropped the subject.

The crisis averted, Xu Chun exhaled in relief. She couldn’t quite figure out Zheng Jinchan’s intentions but made a mental note: If she ever ran into Zheng Yanran in the future, she’d turn tail and run immediately.

If Zheng Jinchan was this troublesome, Zheng Yanran couldn’t be much better.

Qin Yao had arranged a lunch banquet. Zheng Jinchan initially tried to decline but reconsidered after a brief pause. Jiang Zhaolie shot Xu Chun a meaningful look, leaving her momentarily confused until she noticed the untouched breakfast beside her. Realizing the hint, Xu Chun grabbed her phone, milk, and bread, excusing herself to leave.

The moment she stepped out, the conference room door shut behind her. The others stayed inside, likely discussing business. Left to her own devices, Xu Chun settled down to eat her breakfast, then wandered around with her phone, enthusiastically engaging with fans in the livestream chat.

In the past, Xu Chun only knew to bury her head in acting, paying no attention to anything else. So even though her acting skills were excellent, her popularity and online presence had never been particularly high. Now, with the boost from two dating shows and the broken engagement incident, Xu Chun’s fame and influence have undeniably become the top in the entertainment industry.

Describing Xu Chun’s current popularity as “skyrocketing beyond limits” wouldn’t be an exaggeration.

Even the old scandal about Xu Chun “cheating during a relationship” was repeatedly discussed and questioned by netizens. Eventually, fans compiled various pieces of evidence proving that Yu Sui’an had framed her, and these were permanently pinned at the top of Xu Chun’s major fan club pages.

After that, whenever anyone publicly brought up the issue, fans would swarm like locusts, slapping the pinned evidence right in front of the naysayers. “Our Xu-jie was wronged! Stop spreading rumors, or else be careful if reposts exceed 500, Xu-jie’s agency will sue you into oblivion!”

At first, some people found this fan behavior extremely off-putting. But under the relentless bombardment of the fandom’s aggressive campaigning, even those who didn’t know the full truth gradually had their perception of Xu Chun reshaped like a frog slowly boiled in warm water.

This infuriated Yu Sui’an’s fans, but there was little they could do. Yu Sui’an herself had been sporadically posting erratic rants on Weibo, her once innocent and kind-hearted persona now teetering on the edge of collapse. Her fans were too busy worrying about her mental state to bother with Xu Chun.

Some even speculated whether Yu Sui’an had been emotionally manipulated by Xu Chun.

However, such accusations were quickly debunked by Xu Chun’s fans, who forcefully slapped Yu Sui’an’s past misdeeds all solidly proven right into the faces of her supporters. After seeing the evidence, Yu Sui’an’s fans collectively spiraled into distress, too preoccupied with their own mess to spare any energy for Xu Chun.

Meanwhile, back in the office, Xu Chun’s agent was drowning in endorsement deals and invitations, forced to expand her team just to keep up with the overwhelming demand.

Staring at the screen displaying Xu Chun’s stunning face, one that outshone the entire entertainment industry the agent couldn’t help but feel a surge of emotion. Just a year ago, Xu Chun had been a hopeless romantic, willing to throw everything away for Yu Sui’an, even at the cost of her own career. Back then, the agent had been at her wit’s end, reluctant to give up on Xu Chun but powerless to stop her self-destruction. Eventually, she had reluctantly agreed to let Xu Chun join the dating show at her desperate pleading.

The agent had fully braced herself for Xu Chun to ruin her own future. Yet, after spending a few days with Yu Sui’an on the show, Xu Chun suddenly woke up, seeing through Yu Sui’an’s true nature and completely severing all lingering attachments.

Watching Xu Chun’s performance on the show, the agent had nearly burst out laughing on the spot, overwhelmed by the joy of seeing “her child finally grow up.”

Xu Chun was undeniably exceptional so much so that the agent was willing to personally fight for resources, paving the way for her to shine even brighter.

Fortunately, Xu Chun proved her persistence wasn’t in vain. From now on, she could hold her head high in the company. As for those who’d previously made snide remarks, the agent took vicious satisfaction imagining their struggling artists’ pitiful states.

Only her darling was the most outstanding!

The agent’s thoughts wandered, considering whether to suggest sending all the company’s lovestruck artists to Director Guo’s dating show for rehabilitation. Perhaps after the show, they’d all see through worldly affairs and seal their hearts with concrete, never to love again.

After some wild imaginings, the agent’s excitement gradually cooled. Now that Xu Chun’s popularity had reached sufficient heights, she needed to be extremely careful about script selection. “Secret Heartbeats” was already scheduled for next summer. After wrapping up the current variety show, Xu Chun would need to immediately join another production to capitalize on her current fame.

Xu Chun’s earlier claim about her schedule being booked for years was false. These days, the agent hadn’t found any suitable scripts, hence no new arrangements for Xu Chun.

Good scripts were hard to come by. Though anxious, the agent could only helplessly watch Xu Chun dance recklessly around Qin Yao.

Thank goodness for Qin Yao’s good temper anyone else would have beaten Xu Chun to death by now.

Xu Chun sneezed several times in succession. Rubbing her nose, she wondered if Jiang Zhaolie was cursing her behind her back. Wrinkling her nose, Xu Chun decided to settle scores when Jiang Zhaolie reappeared.

Sneaky behavior was ungentlemanly.

Whatever Qin Yao and Zheng Jinchan discussed inside remained unknown. When the meeting room door reopened, Qin Yao maintained her usual unflappable, composed demeanor, while Zheng Jinchan emerged with barely concealed anger, radiating dangerous energy like a provoked beast warning “Don’t mess with me unless you want to die.”

Xu Chun scurried to Qin Yao’s side, peeking curiously at Zheng Jinchan, who immediately caught her. “What are you looking at?” Zheng Jinchan narrowed her eyes, speaking deliberately. “Am I that fascinating?”

She leaned closer to Xu Chun. “If you’re so interested, should I come closer for a better look?”

Xu Chun: “!!!”

Suddenly finding herself flanked by two people, with Qin Yao’s scorching gaze fixed upon her, Xu Chun shivered, wishing she could go blind on the spot.

Trapped between Qin Yao and Zheng Jinchan like prey between predator and hunter, Xu Chun genuinely wanted to cry.

Still smarting from her minor defeat against Qin Yao, Zheng Jinchan seized this opportunity when Xu Chun approached. “Cat got your tongue?” She arched an eyebrow with a smile. “Or do you actually dislike me?”

“Wasn’t it you who said you wanted to be friends?” Zheng Jinchan’s gentle tone abruptly sharpened. “Unless… you were lying from the start? Was last night’s approach also premeditated?”

“Of course not!” Xu Chun instinctively protested.

As Zheng Jinchan smiled at her, signaling her to continue, Xu Chun steeled herself and spoke: “President Zheng, your beauty is unparalleled, your bearing heroic and spirited, and your career achievements illustrious. My admiration for you is as boundless as an endless river. Though I adore you deeply, your formidable presence is truly intimidating. As a young woman just starting out, standing before you…”

She feigned hesitation for a moment, “I ultimately feel too timid and weak to dare covet your celestial grace.”

“I fear my head might swell, becoming utterly intoxicated by your charm, which is why I’ve repeatedly avoided meeting your gaze.” Having said this, Xu Chun blinked her eyes several times with utmost sincerity, showcasing her innocent harmlessness.

Though mentally prepared, when Zheng Jinchan actually heard these outrageous flatteries from Xu Chun’s mouth, she still felt exceptionally pleased. The sharpness in her smile softened as she narrowed her eyes contentedly, “Well said.”

Just as Xu Chun was about to sigh in relief, Zheng Jinchan invited her, “Let’s play mahjong together sometime, and you can continue telling me these things then.”

“Oh, and let’s invite my daughter and Jiang Banxia too,” she added, glancing at Qin Yao. “If President Qin and President Jiang have time, they’re welcome to join as well.”

As she listened, Xu Chun began to sense something amiss. When Zheng Jinchan finished speaking, her expression turned utterly bewildered: “???”

Are you forming some kind of battlefield alliance here?

If all these people actually sat around a mahjong table, the atmosphere would be suffocating! And if Yu Sui’an were added to the mix… that would be the absolute limit.

Xu Chun’s right eyelid twitched uncontrollably as she responded with empty enthusiasm, “Sure, sure.”

After all, agreeing was one thing whether she’d actually show up was another matter entirely. Her schedule was packed. Once the variety show wrapped up, she’d quickly slip away to film her next drama.

Speaking of which, she’d need to remind her manager again tonight to secure her next project promptly, lest she actually get dragged into that mahjong game by Zheng Jinchan.

Faced with Zheng Jinchan’s enthusiastic invitation, Qin Yao naturally nodded, “Certainly.”

Jiang Zhaolie had assumed Qin Yao would decline, but to her surprise, not only did Qin Yao agree, she did so readily. After some contemplation, Jiang Zhaolie still couldn’t fathom Qin Yao’s intentions.

After agreeing, Qin Yao smoothly shifted the conversation to other topics. The group moved to the restaurant, where lunch passed pleasantly enough.

Qin Yao’s successful collaboration with Zheng Jinchan in City A was an unexpected boon. Her primary purpose for this trip was to inspect the local branch of her company and hold several meetings with senior management to plan for the new year. The tech company currently overseen by Jiang Zhaolie served as an extension and development of the Qin Pharmaceutical Group, with both entities benefiting mutually to ensure effective growth.

Thus, Jiang Zhaolie needed to attend these meetings as well. Secretary Zhao, needless to say, remained by Qin Yao’s side at all times. This left Xu Chun, the idle employee, completely free to indulge herself once the others became occupied. She happily let Qin Yao’s assigned staff guide her on a promotional tour of the Qin Pharmaceutical Group’s various factories in City A.

Xu Chun thoroughly enjoyed herself, brimming with delight.

The current filming schedule was incredibly relaxing for her. Every day, she’d follow the young women arranged by Qin Yao to wander around. She’d eat after sightseeing, sleep after eating, then wake up to continue exploring before forcing herself to suppress her desires and head to the gym for some weight training to maintain her figure.

After a barrage of admiring comments flooded the screen, Xu Chun released the gym equipment and wiped the sweat from her face with a dry towel. As she freshened up briefly and prepared to return to the hotel, Sheng Yigui, who had been politely ejected from the banquet by Qin Yao, nervously intercepted her. “Miss Xu, I sincerely apologize for not recognizing your status earlier and offending you. I hope you’ll be magnanimous and not hold it against someone as insignificant as me.”

This time, Sheng Yigui had been thoroughly scolded by his family. His father berated him, then his mother took over, followed by his grandfather not wanting to be outdone. After his grandfather finished, his grandmother even grabbed her cane, shouting about breaking his legs and his manhood. Having been spoiled since childhood, Sheng Yigui had never faced such an onslaught. His chubby face turned pale with fear as he begged for mercy before fleeing the Sheng household overnight with his luggage.

Though he’d escaped, the bombardment of calls from his parents didn’t stop all with the same message: “If you don’t obtain Miss Xu’s forgiveness, don’t even think about remaining a descendant of the Sheng family!”

This threat was severe it practically meant being mercilessly struck from the family registry!

Not daring to delay, Sheng Yigui immediately gathered all available information about Xu Chun and drove over to wait downstairs. The moment he finally saw her, he plastered on a smile and rushed forward. “Miss Xu, strictly speaking, we actually share some connections.”

“Your ex-girlfriend, Yu Sui’an… she was once my elementary school classmate.” Sheng Yigui tried to play the emotional card. But when Xu Chun heard Yu Sui’an’s name, she gave him a cold, mocking smile. “Don’t you know there’s some… history between Yu Sui’an and me?”

Of course Sheng Yigui knew and hurried to explain, “I’m not trying to claim any connection with her today. I just wanted to share some rumors I heard back then.”

“Long ago, people at our school whispered that her mother was the mistress of some prominent wealthy businessman, a married man with children who was quite famous. Her mother knew he had a family but still schemed for money, becoming his mistress. Back then, her status as a ‘love child’ was common knowledge at our school.”

“Don’t be fooled by how she was raised by those so-called grandparentsthey weren’t her real relatives. After her mother gave birth to her, she went abroad and abandoned her. The grandparents she claims now were actually kind-hearted people who adopted her.”

Afraid Xu Chun might misunderstand him as trying to whitewash Yu Sui’an’s image, Sheng Yigui quickly added, “Actually, she’s just like her mother no good at all. I think the things she did to you stem from the wickedness she inherited from her parents’ bloodline.”

Xu Chun and Yu Sui’an were enemies, and by disparaging Yu Sui’an like this after all, the enemy of my enemy is my friend surely Xu Chun would forgive him now? Sheng Yigui silently speculated.

Xu Chun was aware of some aspects of Yu Sui’an’s background. She knew Yu Sui’an came from a poor family and had entered the entertainment industry solely because both her grandparents were seriously ill and required substantial medical expenses. However, the book never mentioned that Yu Sui’an wasn’t their biological granddaughter.

Then there was her money-grubbing mother, who disregarded all moral principles, and her scumbag father, a married man with children who had an affair and fathered another child…

But Xu Chun narrowed her eyes slightly. “How do you know all this so clearly?”

Sheng Yigui gave an awkward chuckle. “My family has some influence, and I happened to know her mother, who’s now living abroad, from years back. So…” He forced a dry smile. “But I wasn’t the one who spread any of this. Back when her mother pulled that stunt, she was downright brazen about it pretty much everyone in the circle knew.”

Who would’ve thought that despite being in the industry for so many years, no one had ever exposed Yu Sui’an’s sordid past?

“Then who is her father?” Xu Chun couldn’t help but ask.

“This…” Sheng Yigui hesitated, “Back then, her mother was indeed arrogant, but she kept the identity of the child’s father extremely secretive, so I’m not entirely sure either.”

“Investigate it.” Xu Chun shot him a sidelong glance. “If you find out for me, I’ll let last night’s matter slide.”

Overjoyed, Sheng Yigui immediately groveled like an eager underling. “Yes, yes! I’ll get right on it. Don’t worry, I guarantee you’ll have satisfactory results within a month.”

After exchanging contact information with Sheng Yigui, Xu Chun sat in her car, lost in thought. The original text hadn’t mentioned anything about Yu Sui’an’s background, so even she was unaware that Yu Sui’an harbored so many secrets.

However… Sheng Yigui revealing Yu Sui’an’s true origins at this moment gave Xu Chun an uneasy feeling.

That unease wasn’t directed at herself, but rather at the sense that someone close to her might get dragged into this.

When it came to the person most deeply involved with Yu Sui’an, none other than Jiang Zhaolie came to mind. After a long silence, Xu Chun suddenly looked up. No way, no way! Could Jiang Zhaolie and Yu Sui’an actually be half-sisters sharing the same father?!

But then, who was their father?

There had been no rumors about Qin Yao having a deceased husband or an early divorce. Xu Chun had spent enough time around Qin Yao, discreetly questioning everyone close to her, yet no one knew anything about her marital status.

In everyone’s memory, Qin Yao had always been alone solitary, without companionship, enduring both harsh winters and scorching summers without anyone to warm her bed or prepare comforting meals.

While anyone in the world might secretly marry, Qin Yao was the least likely candidate. Given her status and position, there was no need for her to hide a marriage, it would be impossible to conceal such significant news anyway.

“What are you thinking about?” A voice suddenly interrupted.

Xu Chun, not fully registering the question, glanced at Qin Yao and instinctively replied, “Thinking about who your husband is.”

The moment the words left her mouth, Xu Chun realized her mistake. “!!!”

Qin Yao seemed momentarily stunned before her expression turned inscrutable. Her voice lowered into a husky, dangerously alluring tone, “Want to know?”

She curled her lips into a meaningful smile and extended an invitation, “Come to my room tonight.”

Xu Chun’s head spun slightly, her eyes lighting up. “Really?”

Such good fortune?

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