After Transmigrating into a Novel, I Became the Female Lead's Stepmother - Chapter 46

Xu Chun remained silent, immediately gritting her teeth and hiding behind Bai Xianxian. Bai Xianxian glanced at her briefly before shifting her attention back to Qin Yao. “President Qin, did you need something from me?”

“Come to my office,” Qin Yao said, withdrawing her gaze from Xu Chun and looking directly into Bai Xianxian’s eyes.

Bai Xianxian was momentarily stunned, unable to comprehend why Qin Yao had come in person to notify her. After a brief pause, she nodded in agreement. Qin Yao then added, “Go ahead and wait for me there now.”

Without questioning the reason, Bai Xianxian nodded again and tactfully slipped past Qin Yao to leave. The small office was suddenly left with only Xu Chun, who subtly retreated until her back pressed against the cold, hard wall nowhere left to go. Her shuffling feet were forced to a halt.

What should she do now? Sensing Qin Yao’s amused gaze settling on her again, Xu Chun felt as if she might faint from sheer terror on the spot.

But Qin Yao seemed in no hurry to settle accounts here. Instead, she leisurely curved her lips. “You!” She deliberately drew out the word, and in that moment, Xu Chun’s heart rose with the upward lilt of her tone, barely daring to breathe.

“How do you define familiarity and unfamiliarity?”

Rather than interrogating her aggressively, Qin Yao patiently inquired about her criteria for judgment. Yet even this question was one Xu Chun couldn’t answer openly in front of the live audience.

Her lips twitched as she struggled to maintain composure, deliberately evasive. “You’ll find out when the time comes.”

Qin Yao studied her intently for a long moment before her smile deepened abruptly. “Then I look forward to that day.”

Though the words themselves were ordinary, something about the way Qin Yao said them made them inexplicably suggestive especially those narrow, dark eyes, deep as a brewing storm yet laced with lingering tenderness. In an instant, Xu Chun was dragged back to last night’s flustered, heart-pounding moments.

The surrounding air seemed to grow warmer, giving Xu Chun the illusion that Qin Yao might forcefully kiss her again at any moment.

Her body felt weak, almost boneless, as if she might slide down the wall at any second.

This strange, tingling sensation made Xu Chun unconsciously press her moist lips together. This wasn’t right, it wasn’t right at all. Qin Yao had merely spoken a few words to her, so why did she feel as though she’d taken some kind of aphrodisiac?

It made no sense.

Her small face was set in a serious expression, delicate brows slightly furrowed. No matter how hard she racked her brain, she couldn’t understand why Qin Yao’s allure affected her so profoundly.

Could it really be what people online said that her body and genes had already chosen Qin Yao before her heart and mind could catch up?

Qin Yao took in Xu Chun’s unusual state with keen observation, the corners of her lips lifting slightly as she stepped closer. “You seem unwell,” she offered kindly. “Do you need help?”

She suddenly moved closer, the familiar delicate fragrance rushing into Xu Chun’s nostrils and overwhelming her thoughts. Xu Chun was startled, instinctively shaking her head in firm refusal, “N-no, that’s alright.”

Help? How could she dare let Qin Yao help? Qin Yao’s assistance, wouldn’t that just make things worse? It would probably take three or four hours to finish.

Qin Yao watched her with an amused expression for a while before speaking in a slightly disappointed tone, “Alright then.” She turned to leave for the CEO’s office, but not without reminding Xu Chun, “If you’re really uncomfortable, you’re welcome to come find me anytime.”

The way she said it…

Xu Chun’s ears burned slightly as she shot a dark, slightly resentful glance at Qin Yao. And whose fault was this anyway?

If it weren’t for how deeply Qin Yao’s pheromones fascinated her, how could she have lost her composure in front of Qin Yao and all those live stream viewers? Thinking about how she’d have to rack her brains to explain everything properly to the audience later, Xu Chun immediately felt a headache coming on.

Qin Yao didn’t seem bothered by Xu Chun’s lack of response and walked away with effortless grace. Her retreating figure moved somewhat hurriedly, making Xu Chun wonder what important matter had required Qin Yao to personally notify Bai Xianxian.

Fortunately, Bai Xianxian returned soon after. Xu Chun quickly approached her with concern, “What did CEO Qin want to ask you about? Why did it end so quickly?”

“Nothing much,” Bai Xianxian smiled. “She just couldn’t understand why I suddenly resigned.”

She suddenly chuckled, her eyes full of mischief, “I lied and told her my family was pressuring me to go back and get married. After hearing that, she was silent for a while and didn’t ask anything else.” Bai Xianxian sighed, “From her perspective, I’ve worked at the company for nearly six or seven years, doing perfectly fine, then suddenly insisted on resigning. She probably couldn’t make sense of it.”

Xu Chun found this reasonable: “I wouldn’t understand either in her position.”

If Bai Xianxian hadn’t previously given a sufficiently reasonable explanation, Xu Chun wouldn’t have understood why she’d give up such a well-paying job either. While Qin Yao could be strict, she wasn’t like other bosses who only made empty promises and psychologically manipulated their employees. Working under Qin Yao was relatively fortunate, especially with the high salary she offered.

Bai Xianxian smiled faintly, pressing her lips together, “Just don’t let it slip.”

Before she could finish, noisy sounds suddenly came from ahead, as if a group of people were approaching. Just as Xu Chun craned her neck to look, a team of uniformed police officers filed in, surrounding the office. Then, the senior officer at the front walked straight up to Bai Xianxian: “You’ve been reported to be involved in several criminal offenses. Please come with us now for investigation.”

Xu Chun & audience: “?!!!” What kind of development is this?

How did a perfectly normal workplace variety show suddenly turn into a crime drama?

Xu Chun instinctively looked at Bai Xianxian, but Bai Xianxian remained unhurried, slowly standing up without any resistance, appearing utterly docile. Even when met with Xu Chun’s shocked gaze, she remained calm and composed, offering no explanation as she quietly followed the police out.

The group came and went in the blink of an eye, leaving the office empty again with only Xu Chun remaining. Both Xu Chun and the live-stream audience were stunned for a long moment before the viewers finally snapped out of it, flooding the chat with questions:

[What just happened? Xu-jie, tell us! Hurry!]

[You’ve been with Bai Xianxian day and night, you must’ve noticed something! Give us some inside info! Don’t make us beg on our knees!]

Ignoring the desperate audience clamoring for details, Xu Chun, after processing the situation, abandoned her streaming phone and rushed out of the office, intending to confirm her suspicions with Qin Yao. But before she could get far, she bumped into Secretary Zhao. Reflexively, she grabbed her and asked, “Was it her?”

Secretary Zhao didn’t even need clarification before nodding.

Xu Chun couldn’t help but frown, full of questions. “How did you find out?”

From her perspective, Bai Xianxian had disguised herself well. In their daily interactions, she seemed like a perfectly normal colleague flawed yet genuine, making it impossible to connect her to the underhanded schemes she’d been orchestrating. Even her resignation excuse had been so convincing that Xu Chun hadn’t suspected a thing.

Who would’ve guessed she’d been playing a double-agent game right under Qin Yao’s nose?

“Honestly, we didn’t suspect her at first,” Secretary Zhao explained. “She’s been with the company for six or seven years. Initially, her performance was average neither outstanding nor terrible. She made mistakes but also had her moments of excellence. She was diligent, eager to learn, and willing to endure hardship, so after her probation, Qin Yao took her along on business trips.”

“She was smart. Gradually, she earned our trust. Once she gained access to more company secrets, she didn’t act immediately. Instead, she lay low for another four years, only starting to discreetly leak information to our overseas competitors two or three years ago.”

Xu Chun didn’t know whether to call her arrogance or overconfidence, how could she be so sure Qin Yao wouldn’t catch her? Logically, Bai Xianxian had some ability to foresee outcomes. She should’ve calculated whether she’d succeed or face this downfall. How could she make such a mistake, getting caught right before victory?

“At the time, CEO Jiang had just taken over, and the company underwent a major reshuffle. She kept her head down, working diligently every day, so no one paid her any attention. Later, many senior employees left, and a wave of new hires came in. Our focus was always on those in key positions, overlooking the seemingly unremarkable yet dangerously cunning assistant right beside us.”

“Actually, we have you to thank for this,” Secretary Zhao gave her an appreciative look. “If you hadn’t been livestreaming 24/7 and persistently sticking to her all day, we might not have caught on in time.”

“Once suspicions arose about her, President Qin made an immediate decision to replace her with you as the travel companion.” Though Secretary Zhao always felt Qin Yao’s move wasn’t entirely because of Bai Xianxian there seemed to be some personal motives involved. “Sure enough, the details of the discussions with President Zheng weren’t leaked this time.”

“Instead, it was the false information President Qin deliberately planted in the company thousands of miles away that got leaked.”

Xu Chun felt a bit conflicted upon hearing this. Perhaps Bai Xianxian’s fortune-telling had some merit. Initially, she might have divined several outcomes for herself, all predicting success, which gave her the confidence to infiltrate Qin Corporation.

Who would have thought that after years of covert operations, just as she was nearing the end, Xu Chun and Director Guo suddenly intervened, deciding to film a reality show at Qin Corporation that broadcasted Xu Chun’s daily life in full. This disrupted the original plot and inadvertently exposed Bai Xianxian. After all, in the original storyline, Xu Chun would never have been at Qin Corporation filming a show at this point, she would have already been driven out of the entertainment industry by Yu Sui’an, her reputation in ruins.

Xu Chun wasn’t sure how to respond. Secretary Zhao, mistaking her silence for distress, kindly reassured her, “There are no friends in the workplace that saying probably applies in the entertainment industry too.”

She initially raised her hand to pat Xu Chun’s shoulder but hesitated, her eyes flickering slightly with discomfort before awkwardly lowering it again. “Don’t open up to others too easily.” After a pause, she added, “Of course, President Qin is an exception.”

Xu Chun: “?”

Noticing her skeptical look, Secretary Zhao gave an awkward smile. “I need to go handle the aftermath of Bai Xianxian’s situation.”

Bai Xianxian’s arrest during the show would undoubtedly spark speculation, affecting Qin Corporation’s reputation and stock value. For at least the next month, Secretary Zhao would be swamped with overtime work.

Xu Chun nodded. “Let me know if there’s anything I can do to help.”

She said it out of politeness, but the very next day, Secretary Zhao actually put her to work. And upon discovering how efficient Xu Chun was, she even kept her at the office late into the night. If Xu Chun had known this would happen, she would never have made that offer.

Dazed, she returned to her office and found the barrage of questions still flooding the livestream. Xu Chun put on a serious face. “I really don’t know anything. Honestly, I wasn’t that close with Assistant Bai.”

“With something this big happening, both Qin Corporation and the authorities will release statements eventually. Just keep an eye out for those. I’m just a celebrity here to film a show, how would I know the company’s secrets?”

She spoke earnestly, but the audience wasn’t buying it:

[You and Bai Xianxian were obviously close. And President Qin specifically took you on that business trip. Can you honestly say there’s nothing going on between you two?]

Without missing a beat, Xu Chun replied, “I have no honesty.”

The chat exploded with:

[…]

[Wow. Never seen someone guard their secrets this tightly.]

Unable to get any information from Xu Chun, the crowd quickly shifted their focus to other social media platforms. Since the person was apprehended during Xu Chun’s live stream, the incident blew up, with related hashtags now trending high on Weibo, sparking widespread discussion.

While Bai Xianxian’s case was drawing attention, news of the collaboration between the Qin and Zheng families also leaked, spreading like wildfire through private circles. With both revelations surfacing simultaneously, people inside and outside the industry couldn’t fathom what Qin Yao was scheming.

The Qin family was already formidable. Their alliance with the Jiang family had kept them unshakable for decades. Now, with the Zheng family joining forces they were practically aiming for the heavens.

Those in the dark were still speculating, while the shrewd had already started buying Qin family stocks, Xu Chun was no exception. Without hesitation, she invested her entire fortune, leaving even Qin Yao speechless for a long moment before finally murmuring, “Gambler.”

Xu Chun was indeed gambling betting that Jiang Zhaolie wouldn’t repay kindness with betrayal, that Qin Yao wouldn’t fall from power, and that the Qin family would grow stronger under her leadership.

As long as Qin Yao stood firm, the colossal Qin Group would remain unbeatable, and Xu Chun could then make the leap from employee to capitalist.

Suddenly finding herself penniless, Xu Chun felt dizzy. She quickly set Qin Yao’s photo as her phone wallpaper, praying fervently, “Auntie, please don’t let me down.”

When Xu’s parents learned she had invested everything in Qin stocks, they hesitated but followed suit, sinking most of their savings. Even Xu Wei sold everything except the sports car Xu Chun had bought her and joined the gamble.

Upon hearing this, Xu Chun: “…” A family of gamblers now she understood how the Xu family went bankrupt in the original story.

But this time, it shouldn’t come to that. Jiang Zhaolie wouldn’t be so ruthless as to sabotage herself. If she intended to take over the Qin Group, any trouble for Qin would only harm her own interests.

Reassured by this logic, Xu Chun sighed in relief. Now that she was utterly broke inside and out, where could she go to make money?

Her eyes lit up as she thought of her manager. “Sister Yang~”

Her sweet tone immediately put the manager on guard. “What trouble have you gotten into now?”

Xu Chun choked. “Sister Yang, any ads or magazine shoots coming my way lately? I’m a bit strapped for cash, so unless it’s really terrible, just sign me up for all of them.”

Manager: “?”

“A bit strapped? How strapped?”

“Flat broke?” Xu Chun ventured.

Manager: “Xu Chun, did you fall for some nude chat scam?!” Meeting you was my karma.

Despite her exasperation, the manager agreed. Soon, an assistant rushed over with a stack of contracts. “Sis Xu, take a look. Are these suitable? You’re hot right now big brands are lining up. High-profile gigs with fat paychecks. If you take them all, you’re guaranteed a windfall.”

Xu Chun’s eyes sparkled. Perfect! With a wave of her hand, she declared, “Sign me up for everything!”

Since she had to work at Qin Corporation during the day, Xu Chun finally regretted her decision after pulling consecutive all-nighters at the studio for a week those extra earnings really weren’t worth it.

Being broke might lead to starvation, but overtime was pure torture for both mind and body!

After half a month of being meticulously scheduled by Secretary Zhao during the day and relentlessly booked by advertisers at night, Xu Chun was finally free. She immediately took a day off to sleep like the dead, completely unconscious.

The live chat fell silent: [“Sis Xu is already this wealthy yet still grinding so hard, what excuse do I have to slack off?”]

[“But slacking feels amazing. Sis Xu’s hustle gives me anxiety, while lying flat brings me peace. No rat race, no workplace risks.”]

[“Preach, sister!”]

[“Seeing Sis Xu work so hard reassures me the entertainment industry still has hope.”]

Little did they know, the very next day after all this praise, Xu Chun abandoned her diligent persona and embraced the slacker life. After her day off, she returned to the office refreshed but spent her time wandering aimlessly like a loiterer, making Secretary Zhao’s eyebrow twitch in irritation.

Secretary Zhao couldn’t hold back: “If you’ve got nothing to do, why not take over Assistant Bai’s workload? You’ve been handling it long enough, it shouldn’t be a problem. The more you take on now, the bigger your bonus later.”

Xu Chun shook her head frantically. “No, no, I’m swamped! I’ve got to meet with Fu Xin right now.”

Before Secretary Zhao could respond, Xu Chun bolted to Fu Xin’s office. She’d promised He Qingli to look after Fu Xin but had been too buried in work to follow through.

Fu Xin had adapted well over the past twenty days at Qin Corporation. The production team assigned her to the design department based on her strengths though it wasn’t directly related to her fashion brand or jewelry design background, it was close enough to be useful. Her disciplined 9-to-5 routine earned her a loyal fanbase, making her the second most popular after Xu Chun.

From Xu Chun’s observations, most of Fu Xin’s fans were “mom fans” older, successful women willing to splurge, making Fu Xin’s livestream donations the highest among the cast.

But two days ago, Fu Xin was dragged into a family scandal.

The Fu family had once run a mid-sized business before collapsing under debt, prompting everyone except Fu Xin to emigrate. After seeing her on the show, creditors swarmed online demanding repayment. The substantial debt, amplified by the internet’s reach, quickly blew up into a major controversy.

Though the debt was her parents’ doing, Fu Xin, as their child, was expected to shoulder the burden.

When Xu Chun found her, Fu Xin was a shadow of her former self. Already slender and frail, she now looked ghostly pale and fragile, as if on the verge of collapse.

When Fu Xin saw her arrive, her deeply exhausted face forced a faint smile. “Sister Xu Chun.”

Xu Chun nodded slightly. “Have you eaten? Shall we have a meal together?”

Fu Xin hesitated for a moment before finally nodding. “Alright.”

Due to her family’s scandal, the once-friendly guests and colleagues had all distanced themselves from her, afraid of being implicated and subjected to online abuse. Although Fu Xin had mentally prepared herself, when the moment actually came, she still felt the sting of it.

Yet she had no right to resent others, this was what she deserved.

Her parents had borrowed money and refused to repay it, so it was only right that she faced the insults and accusations. But her parents and younger brother had already emigrated, leaving her alone in the country. No matter how hard she worked on variety shows to earn money, compared to the family’s massive debts, it was merely a drop in the bucket. She had no idea when she would ever be able to pay it all off.

From the moment the incident occurred, that faint sense of despair had involuntarily enveloped her. No matter how hard she tried to appear strong, whenever she woke from midnight dreams, the weight of these debts still left her gasping for breath.

Sometimes, she even considered simply running away, but…

The thought of He Qingli made Fu Xin ultimately unwilling to give up.

After this matter was exposed, Xu Chun guessed this might be the reason He Qingli had specifically asked her to take care of Fu Xin before the variety show. The internet was a double-edged sword with Fu Xin exposed under the spotlight, it was only a matter of time before these things came to light.

After exchanging a few casual words with Fu Xin, Xu Chun realized that while the girl was genuinely resilient, beneath that tough exterior lay a deep, suffocating aura of lifelessness and despair. Xu Chun fell silent for a moment before saying, “You performed really well on the show. If there are any suitable programs in the future, I’ll recommend you.”

Fu Xin understood her kindness. Pressing her lips together, she smiled gently and obediently. “Thank you, Sister Xu Chun.”

“But have you ever considered acting? If I come across a suitable role later, I could recommend you for an audition.” Supporting roles only needed to film their scenes before leaving, which was far more flexible than lead actors who often had to stay on set for four or five months or even most of a year.

Moreover, during the gaps between roles, Fu Xin could take on side jobs to earn extra money, like design commissions, which paid much faster than a rigid nine-to-five salary.

Fu Xin thought it over. “I’ve never taken professional acting classes. I’m afraid I wouldn’t be up to it.”

She thanked Xu Chun earnestly, then smiled lightly and said, “Don’t worry, Sister Xu Chun, I’ll be fine.” She pressed her lips together, revealing two deep dimples. “I’m living step by step now. Though it’s not the same as before, I believe with my efforts, things will get better.”

Hearing this, Xu Chun said no more and continued chatting idly with her.

The food at the Qin Corporation cafeteria was quite good. Just as Xu Chun and Fu Xin sat down to eat after getting their meals, a striking figure utterly out of place in this setting burst in. The person stood at the entrance, scanning the room until her gaze accidentally met Xu Chun’s. Immediately, she dashed over and stopped arrogantly in front of Xu Chun. “Well, well! Finally caught you!”

Xu Chun couldn’t help but look baffled. “Who are you?”

“Me?” The girl pointed at herself. “You don’t know me?” She thought for a moment, it was true they’d never met so she cleared her throat, lifted her chin high, and declared with great pride, “I am Jiang Banxia’s future girlfriend, Zheng Yanran.”

“Oh.” Xu Chun suddenly understood. “I know your mom.”

“Call your mom over.”

Zheng Yanran: “?”

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