After Transmigrating into a Novel, I Became the Female Lead's Stepmother - Chapter 44

Xu Chun widened her eyes as she leaned into the embrace, instantly feeling her scalp go numb. She could almost imagine the beastly things that would happen to her if she failed to escape tonight.

Her smile vanished instantly. Reflexively, she struggled again, only to find Qin Yao’s grip astonishingly strong like steel, sending a wave of helplessness creeping up from the soles of her feet.

After finishing her words, Qin Yao pressed her lips together and silently stared at her. Xu Chun grew flustered under that gaze, trapped with nowhere to flee. In this life-or-kidney crisis, her mind somehow wandered, Qin Yao’s strength was immense, yet her fingers were so slender and elegant. The image of them gliding over a woman’s delicate, fair skin would undoubtedly be breathtaking.

But also far too suggestive.

Her heart suddenly raced uncontrollably, cheeks warming as she awkwardly averted her gaze, forcing herself to stare at the ground with feigned composure. “What debt?”

She wasn’t playing dumb, she genuinely had no idea.

Xu Chun racked her brain. Lately, she’d been well-behaved, keeping to herself without provoking Qin Yao in any way. The only exception was that initial moment when she’d playfully teased Jiang Zhaolie.

Beyond that? Nothing.

She could swear to the heavens, she was truly innocent!

“What debt?” Qin Yao repeated, her usually smooth voice already pleasant, now deliberately lowered to a tone that made Xu Chun’s legs weak and her heart flutter wildly. She was utterly defenseless.

Qin Yao’s gaze bore into her. “You really don’t know?”

Xu Chun panicked, her doe-like peach-blossom eyes wide with confusion as she turned to Qin Yao, trembling. “…Could you give me a hint?” She swallowed nervously, her caution palpable.

After a pause, Qin Yao called her name. “Xu Chun.”

That magnetic, husky voice was like a curved blade with a hook, startling Xu Chun into holding her breath, her mind racing at unprecedented speed. The sudden use of her full name made every hair on her body stand on end.

Unlike Xu Chun’s unease, Qin Yao was unhurried, utterly composed. “My patience isn’t as generous as you think.”

At this moment, Qin Yao resembled a terrifyingly deep predator, and the prey in her sights had no chance of escape. Under the weight of her intimidation, Xu Chun stared at her, frozen.

Several seconds passed before Qin Yao suddenly frowned. “Breathe.”

Xu Chun: “?” Her mind was hazy, dizzy, unable to grasp Qin Yao’s meaning at first.

Only when Qin Yao lifted a hand those long, elegant fingers gripping her chin, gently prying open her snow-white teeth did fresh air rush into her throat, making her realize the intent.

Heavens! She’d nearly departed this beautiful world on the spot!

Her face flushed crimson from holding her breath, almost bleeding red, her panting delicate and pitifully charming.

Qin Yao’s dark eyes shifted subtly as her low voice murmured, “We haven’t even kissed yet, and you’re already this nervous?”

Something exploded in Xu Chun’s mind! The fresh air she had just managed to catch vanished without a trace again. Her charming, expressive eyes widened involuntarily, and the forced smile on her face had completely disappeared. Had she… just hallucinated?

Had she just heard Qin Yao say something about… kissing?

As if to confirm her suspicion, the woman leaned in slightly, bringing with her the familiar faint fragrance. Her tall figure enveloped Xu Chun completely, closing the distance before Xu Chun could react. Under the scorching breath, the atmosphere instantly became thick with ambiguous tension.

As the dark silhouette pressed flush against her, Qin Yao held Xu Chun firmly in place. Xu Chun instinctively closed her eyes, and the next second, the temperature on her lips skyrocketed.

The unfamiliar, uniquely feminine scent made her dizzy and unable to think. Xu Chun’s heart raced wildly, as if struggling to burst out of her chest.

The taste between their lips was scaldingly sweet. At first, Qin Yao was gentle, like a patient hunter, slowly coaxing and luring her into surrender. But just as Xu Chun began to sink into it, Qin Yao suddenly turned domineering and forceful, completely unlike her usual gentle and kind elder demeanor.

Never having been kissed so aggressively before, Xu Chun was initially shocked, her mind a whirl of chaotic thoughts. Gradually, though, she was utterly bewitched by Qin Yao, her mind going blank.

Someone as cold and aloof as Qin Yao was unexpectedly scorching in matters of intimacy, both in body and breath as if burning straight through to the soul.

Xu Chun felt her lips being pressed over and over until they tingled with a numb, heated sensation. Only then did she belatedly realize they had been locked in this position for a long time.

Her body had already changed without her noticing soft, weak, and burning with an unquenchable fire. Just as she was losing herself completely, Qin Yao suddenly stopped, holding her tightly without a word.

Only their slightly ragged breaths lingered in the air, unusually clear.

Xu Chun didn’t dare look at Qin Yao, much less ask anything. At this point, even if she were the densest person alive, she would understand Qin Yao’s intentions.

She had already been deeply drawn to Qin Yao, utterly enchanted by her. Now, bewitched and conquered, her heart was filled to the brim with Qin Yao, leaving no room for anyone else.

But… Xu Chun bit the soft flesh inside her lip, overwhelmed with shame and indignation.

She was truly an embarrassment to romance novel heroines so easily seduced by the mother of the yuri protagonist no, wait, now the adoptive mother of the yuri protagonist.

Her cheeks burned fiercely. Xu Chun instinctively touched her face and, unsurprisingly, found it scalding hot.

Even without a mirror, she knew she must look like a boiled lobster right now temptingly delicious. Wait, no, Xu Chun’s eyes widened abruptly. Had she not been attractive enough today? Why had Qin Yao stopped kissing her halfway?

That couldn’t be it. If she hadn’t been appealing, Qin Yao wouldn’t have kissed her in the first place.

Or maybe…

Before Xu Chun could figure it out, Qin Yao, having steadied her breathing, offered a simple explanation in a voice roughened to a whisper: “This is the conference room.” She paused, then added even lower, “There are cameras.”

Upon hearing this, Xu Chun couldn’t help but protest inwardly: Then why did you just…

“Let’s go back to the room,” Qin Yao suddenly said again. Xu Chun’s legs immediately went weak, her heart pounding so wildly she could barely breathe. Subconsciously clutching Qin Yao’s clothes, she asked with a hint of desperation, “Don’t you have work tonight?”

“Rescheduled everything,” Qin Yao replied, amusement coloring her voice.

“That’s really not necessary,” Xu Chun struggled to say. “Work comes first. I… I can wait.”

She stammered through her words until suddenly, as if some blocked meridian had been miraculously cleared, her speech became remarkably fluent and eloquent: “No matter how late you work, sister, I’ll always wait for you.”

“How could my personal matters compare to the importance of the entire company? Please don’t cancel work for my sake. Compared to your billion-dollar projects, I’m not worth it.” Xu Chun’s words came faster and faster. “Moreover, I don’t want you delaying company progress because of me. I hope you’ll always prioritize the company.”

“I don’t mind you sacrificing small love for greater love.”

Qin Yao’s dark eyes studied her for a long moment, until Xu Chun felt her scalp prickle under the intense gaze. Then slowly, Qin Yao said, “I lied.”

“Actually, I have no work tonight.”

Her tone was leisurely, as if commenting on the nice weather or beautiful flowers in the garden, completely unaware of the psychological trauma these few words could inflict.

The corner of Xu Chun’s slightly red lips twitched uncontrollably: “…?”

So this meant she was really going to die in Qin Yao’s bed tonight.

Qin Yao thoroughly enjoyed the mix of love and fear on Xu Chun’s face, though now wasn’t the best time to savor it. Gently embracing the slender yet curvaceous figure in her arms, she asked, “Will you walk by yourself, or shall I carry you?”

Xu Chun instantly felt her scalp tingle again. “…I can walk by myself.”

Carry? Who knew what kind of friction-induced flames might ignite during those few short steps, leaving them unable to stop.

Receiving her answer, Qin Yao slowly released her, instead tightly interlacing their fingers. Qin Yao’s hand was slightly warm, and as Xu Chun was led along, she could feel the thin calluses from years of holding pens. Suddenly, the scent of ink and books seemed to fill her nose.

As the conference room door slowly opened, two intimately close figures came into view one tall, one short, their faces somewhat familiar. Jiang Zhaolie’s unfocused eyes gradually sharpened, and when she saw their intertwined fingers, her heart wrenched with pain.

It was impossible to describe exactly what she felt in that moment perhaps regret, perhaps fear, maybe some unease and anxiety, along with profound confusion.

Her gaze fixed intently on Qin Yao and Xu Chun, Jiang Zhaolie couldn’t stop thinking: If she hadn’t been bewitched by Yu Sui’an and insisted on breaking off the engagement with Xu Chun, would none of this have happened?

Would Qin Yao still be her stern, unsmiling mother? Would Xu Chun still be her proactive, genuinely caring and attentive fiancée?

If Yu Sui’an hadn’t suddenly interfered, would their family have maintained at least a respectful and moderately happy relationship, if not perfectly harmonious?

But because of Yu Sui’an, everything changed.

From the moment she proposed breaking off the engagement, everything seemed to spiral out of control. She called off the engagement for Yu Sui’an, only to be dumped by him later. Meanwhile, Xu Chun gained Qin Yao’s sympathy because of this undeserved misfortune, and their relationship grew increasingly close. To reassure Xu Chun completely, Qin Yao even revealed her own background.

To Jiang Zhaolie, all of this felt utterly absurd.

She even wished she hadn’t impulsively come to find Qin Yao after seeing Xu Chun end the livestream. If she hadn’t come, she wouldn’t have overheard their conversation and learned about her own origins.

She would rather have remained in the dark forever.

Having Xu Chun become her stepmother was far better than suddenly becoming an orphan with neither father nor mother.

A bitter taste spread on her tongue as a sour, swollen sensation surged through her eyes, nose, throat, and entire body. She stared unblinkingly at the two figures by the meeting room door until her vision blurred again.

Even so, she could vaguely see the two figures turn toward each other, whispering as if preparing to walk over.

Jiang Zhaolie jolted in alarm. Instinctively, she turned away and fled as if she hadn’t noticed them, her retreating figure radiating sheer panic.

She didn’t know how to face Qin Yao, nor how to face Xu Chun let alone the fact that Xu Chun was now her nominal stepmother. Exhausted in body and mind, she just wanted to hide in some quiet corner and shut herself away from all thought.

She was so tired too tired to speak, too tired to see anyone. She just wanted to fade away unnoticed, even if no one cared.

Xu Chun spotted Jiang Zhaolie like a lifeline. Pointing at her retreating figure, she feigned obvious confusion: “Did she not see us? How could she just leave without even saying hello?” With deliberate indignation, she added, “That’s so rude! I’m going after her right now to give her a piece of my mind!”

She made as if to drag Qin Yao after Jiang Zhaolie.

Qin Yao let herself be pulled along, a faint smile playing on her lips as she remarked leisurely, “Even if we catch up to her now, you’re still coming home with me tonight.”

Xu Chun’s steps faltered, nearly collapsing on the spot.

Her little scheme exposed, she forced a stiff smile. “O-of course! As if I’d try to avoid you?” She tilted her head with exaggerated seriousness. “But Jiang Zhaolie avoiding us is suspicious. I think she might have overheard about her origins.”

Only then did Qin Yao set aside their earlier topic. Yet her expression remained unchanged. “She would have learned the truth eventually. It was only a matter of time.”

“It’s good that she knows now.” Qin Yao turned her head to gaze at her, her tone carrying a dangerous edge. “That way, she won’t harbor any unclear intentions toward you.”

Xu Chun: “?!”

“Elder sister, you’re overthinking it.” Xu Chun swallowed hard, desperately trying to distance herself from Jiang Zhaolie. “What intentions could she possibly have toward me? Right now, she’s probably still tangled up in her own love-hate drama with Yu Sui’an and has no time to spare for me.”

Seeing that Qin Yao wasn’t entirely convinced, Xu Chun quickly amended, “Even if she does have any ambiguous thoughts about me, it wouldn’t matter! My whole heart, my entire body and soul, including all my wonderful qualities they all belong to you, elder sister! There’s no way I’d ever be swayed by her, especially when you’re so outstanding and strong…”

Under Qin Yao’s meaningful gaze, the air between them thickened with an ambiguous tension once more. Xu Chun instinctively fell silent, her mind screaming, Don’t misunderstand! That’s not what I meant! I wasn’t trying to make any suggestive remarks!

Ignoring Xu Chun’s nervous expression, Qin Yao’s voice softened with amusement. “I’m glad to hear you say that.”

Seeing the misunderstanding deepen, Xu Chun’s face fell. She could only forcefully change the subject, raising her voice with exaggerated bravado to call out to Jiang Zhaolie in the distance: “Jiang Zhaolie, stop right there!”

Jiang Zhaolie reflexively halted, hurriedly composing herself before turning around with feigned surprise. She forced a casual tone. “Mom.” She glanced at Qin Yao, then at Xu Chun, but the second “Mom” stuck in her throat. Instead, she simply ignored Xu Chun. “It’s so late, why are you two still here?”

“Just taking a walk,” Xu Chun replied, then eyed her. “What are you doing here?”

The question came out of nowhere, leaving Jiang Zhaolie momentarily speechless. Since when is that any of your business? If anything, she should be the one asking why Xu Chun had abruptly ended her livestream promoting the Qin Corporation only to sneak around with Qin Yao here.

As Jiang Zhaolie stood there, baffled, her sharp eyes suddenly caught the smudged edges of Xu Chun’s lipstick. Her gaze froze.

Though she had already suspected as much, seeing such undeniable proof with her own eyes still left her reeling. Mom… Qin Yao… how could she possibly have chosen Xu Chun?

Hadn’t Qin Yao always been indifferent to women, completely detached from worldly desires like love and romance?

Unless… Qin Yao had secretly harbored feelings for Xu Chun all along? Had she buried those emotions deep in her heart, hidden from the world, because Xu Chun was still engaged to her? And once that engagement ended, had she begun pursuing Xu Chun boldly, passionately, yet discreetly until now, when they had finally made their relationship official?

In an instant, Jiang Zhaolie’s thoughts spiraled into chaos. She didn’t even register Xu Chun’s question, her face betraying an unmistakable distress that was impossible to overlook.

The prolonged silence stretched the air thin, thick with awkwardness and suffocation.

Xu Chun couldn’t take it anymore. She waved a hand in front of Jiang Zhaolie’s face. “Are you dumbstruck?” When Jiang Zhaolie finally snapped back to reality, Xu Chun stared straight at her. “What were you spacing out about just now? Why weren’t you responding?”

“Nothing.” Jiang Zhaolie spoke up, doing her best to suppress the unusual emotions on her face. She schooled her expression into neutrality and said casually, “I just remembered I left something here and forgot to take it.”

Her excuse was obvious, but Qin Yao didn’t call her out. “Get your things and rest early.”

The words “rest early” made Xu Chun’s legs tremble. Considering how early it still was, if they went back now… even ten kidneys wouldn’t be enough for her.

Thus, she desperately tried to maintain her image as a kind, considerate, and gentle stepmother in front of Jiang Zhaolie. With utmost concern, she gazed into Jiang Zhaolie’s eyes and said, “Are your eyes uncomfortable? They look so red. Should I buy you some eye drops?”

Jiang Zhaolie instantly felt Qin Yao’s sharp and dangerous gaze land on her: “…”

She couldn’t tell if Xu Chun was being oblivious or deliberate. But under Qin Yao’s silent threat, Jiang Zhaolie firmly declined, “No need. I’ve just been staring at the computer too long. My eyes are a bit dry.”

Jiang Zhaolie’s refusal was clear, yet Xu Chun wore an expression that screamed, “I understand, I totally understand. You don’t have to pretend to be strong in front of me,” and persisted with overwhelming enthusiasm. “It’s okay, Zhaolie. If something’s bothering you, don’t keep it bottled up. That’s bad for your health.”

“Seeing you unhappy makes me sad too.”

Jiang Zhaolie fell silent, a complex mix of emotions swirling inside her. She hadn’t even officially entered the family, yet Xu Chun was already playing the role of the gentle, virtuous stepmother…

“Really, it’s fine.” Jiang Zhaolie took half a step back, forcing herself to stay composed. “I still have some work to finish. I’ll go get my things now.”

Without giving Xu Chun any chance to stop her, she strode away quickly, as if afraid Xu Chun might chase after her, and disappeared in the blink of an eye.

The moment Jiang Zhaolie left, Qin Yao’s focus immediately zeroed in on Xu Chun alone. Cold sweat dripped down Xu Chun’s back as she mentally prepared to throw caution to the wind until Director Guo’s call came through again. “Xu, why did your livestream cut out again?” he asked pointedly. “Signal issues?”

Xu Chun’s eyes lit up as if she’d found a lifeline. “I’ll go live right away there was just a minor hiccup.” Qin Yao’s voice cut in after the word “live,” “She probably won’t be streaming tonight.”

With a merciless tap, she ended the call, leaving Director Guo staring at his phone in bewilderment, unable to fathom how Xu Chun’s phone had ended up in Qin Yao’s hands or why Qin Yao had hung up on him.

With her hope dashed, Xu Chun’s smile turned even more strained than a grimace.

Qin Yao stared intently at her porcelain-like face, her gaze tracing the delicate brows, thick lashes, full lips, and the soft fuzz on her cheeks.

After being scrutinized for so long, Xu Chun’s nerves got the better of her. She lifted her chin slightly, offering Qin Yao a questioning look that was really just a front for her utter nervousness.

She was terrified Qin Yao might decide to start round two.

Though she wouldn’t exactly complain if she did.

Fortunately, Qin Yao still had some conscience left and didn’t make excessive demands. She naturally pulled Xu Chun into an embrace, their bodies pressing together again, their faint fragrances mingling that feeling of losing control was rekindled once more.

“Don’t you like me?” Qin Yao asked bluntly.

Xu Chun nodded instinctively, “Of course I do. Who wouldn’t like you, sister?” When it came to Qin Yao’s virtues, there were simply too many to count. “You’re tall, beautiful, wealthy, with status and prestige, renowned far and wide, rich enough to rival nations…”

Before she could finish her sentence, Qin Yao suddenly leaned in unexpectedly, her pitch-black eyes staring deeply at her. “You know that’s not what I meant,” she said.

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