After Transmigrating into a Novel, I Became the Female Lead's Stepmother - Chapter 62

The man who had been poking at Xu Chun’s wounds scoffed upon hearing this, his face full of disbelief. “Xiao Chun, I never expected someone so young to have such grand ambitions,” he said with a mocking tone. “Just like your father, always joking around.”

Qin Yao? How could an ordinary person dare to covet her? If she ever had any intention of marrying, the line of suitors would probably circle S City ten times over. With so many wealthy and powerful heiresses in the world, what chance did the mere eldest daughter of the Xu family have?

Talk about blowing smoke without a shred of truth.

Xu’s father instantly flew into a rage upon hearing this. “What’s wrong with my daughter? Don’t you dare look down on her!” He grabbed his coat nearby, clearly ready to leave, visibly furious with his so-called friend of many years. “My daughter has looks, fame, and wealth, how is she not good enough for Qin Yao?”

“Yang Xingyan, let me tell you, our friendship ends here today! Tomorrow, once you sober up, my secretary will discuss withdrawing investments with you.”

Xu’s father was so angry he could barely walk straight. As he stormed out, he muttered, “After all these years of treating you with sincerity, I never thought you’d stab me in the back and belittle my daughter.”

He spat viciously to the side. “Take a good look at yourself in the mirror. If it weren’t for me covering for you all these years, what the hell would you have amounted to?”

Cursing under his breath, Xu’s father flung open the private room door. Tang Shiyu nudged her daughter, signaling Xu Chun to follow him, while she lingered for a few more seconds to smooth things over with polite words, maintaining appearances before leaving.

As Xu’s father stormed out, the others quickly urged Yang Xingyan to chase after him and apologize to avoid damaging their business relationships. But Yang, for some inexplicable reason, stubbornly refused to back down, arrogantly declaring, “Who needs him anyway? We’ll get by just fine without him.”

Seeing this, the others tried to persuade him further, but Yang was in no mood to listen, lashing out at anyone who dared to intervene. Eventually, they gave up after all, the fire hadn’t reached them yet. If he insisted on digging his own grave, so be it. He’d regret it once he sobered up.

Xu Chun caught up with her nominal father, who had drunk heavily that night and was stumbling drunkenly. Tang Shiyu soon joined them, supporting Xu’s father from the other side, and said to her daughter, “I’ve been telling him for years not to associate with Yang Xingyan and that crowd, especially not in business. But he never listens.”

The thought made Tang Shiyu furious. “Those so-called old classmates of his sweet-talked him into handing over half his business, made money off it, and didn’t even show a shred of gratitude instead, they swindled more money out of him. And yet, he treasures them like gold.”

“You don’t understand,” Xu’s father interjected. “We’ve been brothers for decades. I’d take a knife for them, let alone just lose a little money.”

“Exactly, they’re all your so-called brothers, yet they dare look down on your daughter right in front of you. Who knows what nasty things they say behind your back,” Tang Shiyu retorted sharply. Her words immediately shut Xu’s father up, leaving him subdued.

But Tang Shiyu wasn’t done venting. She turned to Xu Chun and complained, “Just the other day, your dad was about to hand over a major project introduced by your grandfather to those so-called brothers of his. Our own company is barely scraping by, yet before we even get a bite of the meat, he’s already rushing to feed others.”

“Anyone who didn’t know better would think he’s their real son, not ours.”

Her words were harsh, and Xu’s father was about to argue back, but one sharp glare from Tang Shiyu made him stiffen his neck defiantly for all of three seconds before she pinched his waist hard. With a yelp, he instantly deflated, no longer daring to challenge his wife.

Standing nearby, Xu Chun frowned, feeling that the name Yang Xingyan sounded increasingly familiar. After racking her brain, it finally clicked she remembered his role in the original story.

Yang Xingyan was actually Xu’s father’s elementary school classmate, just like the other men at the dinner table. Initially, they had lost contact after graduation, each going their separate ways. It wasn’t until Xu’s father later went into business that he “coincidentally” reunited with them and rekindled their friendship.

But this so-called coincidence was anything but it had been carefully orchestrated.

Back in elementary school, Xu’s father had stood out due to his family’s prestigious status, making him the envy of classmates like Yang Xingyan. That resentment only grew when they later saw him, dressed in a sharp suit, strutting into the mall where they worked as salesmen and security guards.

The injustice gnawed at them, why did he have it so easy while they struggled? So, they plotted to “accidentally” reconnect, using their shared past to get close and eventually leech off his success.

Xu’s father, generous and trusting, took pity on their struggles and lent them money to start their own businesses. He even helped them register their companies and tirelessly introduced them to lucrative projects.

Some of the best opportunities, ones he hadn’t even pursued himself, he handed straight to these so-called friends.

Through his support, they went from nothing to amassing fortunes worth millions, then billions. Yet, not a shred of gratitude remained only bitterness, as they saw his kindness as condescension and charity.

Their hatred and hostility towards Xu’s father had deepened over the years of acquaintance, to the point where they eventually wished to eradicate the entire Xu family. They longed to witness their once successful and lofty old classmate go bankrupt, to see him lose everything his family, his wealth.

Only then would the imbalance in their hearts completely vanish.

In the original text, Yu Suian had met Yang Xingyan at a drinking party. Through Yang’s manipulations, the Xu family company’s cash flow was severed, forcing Xu’s father to desperately seek loans. Though Xu’s father was well-liked and many were willing to lend to him, when he approached Yang Xingyan and his group, they not only refused but also mocked him relentlessly. They even sabotaged their own joint projects with him, ensuring he was saddled with hundreds of millions in debt, stripping him of any chance to recover.

Watching Xu’s father frantically sell off their family mansion and luxury cars, reducing the entire family to a pitiful existence in a rented shack in the slums, Yang Xingyan and his cronies felt an indescribable satisfaction.

What could be more gratifying than seeing the privileged son of an official reduced to utter destitution?

It could be said that Yu Suian was the mastermind behind the Xu family’s downfall, while Yang Xingyan was merely the gun in his hands obedient, precise, and ruthlessly effective.

Xu Chun suddenly realized: the project Tang Shiyu had mentioned, the one Xu’s father had intended to hand over to Yang Xingyan and his group just days ago, was the critical linchpin that would determine the Xu family’s survival or demise.

Her expression darkened instantly, her eyes locking onto her father. “Dad, you absolutely cannot hand that project over to anyone else especially not Yang Xingyan and his lot.”

The moment she spoke, Xu’s father reflexively chided, “What did you just call your Uncle Yang!” But before he could finish, Xu Chun cut him off without hesitation. “If you ever give another project to them, I’ll donate every last penny I have, then wander the streets alone, sleeping under bridges every night.”

Xu’s father: “?”

Drunk as he was, he wasn’t stupid. Yet no matter how hard he racked his brain, he couldn’t fathom why his perfectly sensible daughter would say such a thing.

Tang Shiyu also shot her a puzzled look. Noticing her father’s dismissive expression, Xu Chun’s face twisted dramatically, and she burst into tears, her performance so convincing it could have won an Oscar. “I’m such a tragic woman! My life is even more bitter than coptis root! First, I get publicly humiliated by Jiang Zhaolie’s broken engagement, and now even Yang Xingyan looks down on me!”

“He’s supposed to be your elementary school classmate, your friend of thirty or forty years yet how does he treat me? He dared to insult me right in front of you! Does he even respect you at all?! He clearly despises you!”

“And the others not a single one stopped him! They must think the same way he does! They don’t respect me, and they don’t respect you either! After all you’ve done for them, how could they possibly do this to us?”

“If this were in ancient times, it would be the classic tale of the farmer and the snake! Dad, you’ve given them your all, but have they ever shown you any gratitude? During holidays, have they ever sent Mom any small gifts? Not only have they not, but they’ve even shamelessly accepted gifts Mom gave their wives, how could they have the nerve?”

“And they dared bring their mistresses to dine with you and Mom did they even respect Mom’s presence? Sitting their lovers at the same table as Mom is nothing short of a blatant insult to her!”

“There’s an old saying: A man who can’t control his own desires will never amount to anything. A businessman who doesn’t respect his wife of many years, how trustworthy can he be in matters of loyalty and righteousness?”

“I genuinely believe only someone like you, Dad, who respects his wife, cherishes his children, and maintains a harmonious family deserves a seat at the negotiation table with you. Mutual benefit and win-win cooperation, don’t you agree, Dad?”

Xu Chun acted with such fervor that her father’s expression shifted immediately. Seizing the moment, she fanned the flames further: “And Dad, what if after I get married, they start whispering behind my back that I climbed the ladder through shady means? What if when I have children, they spread rumors that my kids aren’t my wife’s but some illegitimate offspring from an affair.”

“How dare they!” Her father shot up from his seat in fury.

Xu Chun looked up at him with teary eyes. “Why wouldn’t they dare? They already badmouthed me right in front of you today, who knows what lies they’ll fabricate tomorrow? Dad, you know exactly what kind of people they really are.”

This time, her father fell silent for a long while.

Tang Shiyu snapped out of her stunned daze and gave Xu Chun a complicated look her daughter’s masterful manipulation was truly impressive. She tilted her chin, signaling Xu Chun to go rest. Blinking, Xu Chun wiped nonexistent tears from the corners of her eyes, flashed a discreet OK sign, and slipped away unnoticed.

Tang Shiyu didn’t disturb her husband as he chain-smoked cigarette after cigarette.

Finally, after a long silence, he spoke in a low, hoarse voice, “That project I mentioned the other day, we’ll handle it ourselves. No need to involve them anymore.”

Tang Shiyu responded softly, “Alright.”

“And as for our collaborations with them.” He crushed his cigarette butt abruptly, anger flaring. “I’ve barely scolded my precious daughter her whole life, who the hell do they think they are, daring to slander her like this?!”

“I’m pulling out. I’m withdrawing all investments tomorrow.” His voice trembled with rage. “Tomorrow, I’ll strip them bare and send them back to their hometowns to work as security guards or insurance salesmen, where they belong!”

Hearing this, Tang Shiyu finally relaxed.

Though usually easygoing, Xu’s father was fiercely protective of his own. Once crossed, he never forgot a slight. It was precisely this trait that had drawn Tang Shiyu to him, leading her to marry him against her family’s wishes.

As long as her husband was biased, protective, and always took her side, what more could she possibly want?

Who doesn’t love favoritism?

Xu Chun had just arrived at the hotel when she received a message from Tang Shiyu, saying she would keep a close eye on Xu’s father and Yang Xingyan the next day to ensure they cut ties: “We’re not afraid of them retaliating. Without your dad, they’re just a bunch of useless losers nothing to worry about.”

Still, even though that was the case, those men would likely make a desperate last stand. So for a while, both Xu Chun and her parents would have their hands full.

But at least the project was saved, reducing the risk of their family going bankrupt. Xu Chun let out a sigh of relief, feeling like she’d been worrying nonstop since coming here.

What kind of fate had she endured in her past life to suffer so much in this one?

Lying on the bed, Xu Chun stared blankly at the ceiling. Why wasn’t there a merciful god who could see all the good she’d done in her past life and grant her wishes in this one?

Lost in thought, she eventually fell asleep. The next day, when she met He Qingli, the dark circles under the other woman’s eyes were so severe that the makeup artist had to layer on concealer just to barely cover them. Xu Chun leaned in and asked, “Did you not sleep at all last night?”

He Qingli shook her head dazedly, then nodded. “Some people simply don’t deserve to be parents.”

“Why isn’t there a qualification exam for being a parent?” she fumed early in the morning. “They’re the ones who chose to have children, yet they refuse to take responsibility. And I don’t understand, how can they favor one child over another when both were born from the same womb, the same flesh and blood? How can they be so blatantly biased?”

“Is being born a girl some kind of original sin?”

“How can a mother, a woman herself, treat her own daughter so cruelly? If it were Fu Xin’s father acting this way, I could at least make sense of it. But the abuser turned out to be the mother she’d respected all her life.” He Qingli was so angry she couldn’t even finish.

Xu Chun deeply sympathized with Fu Xin’s plight. “I can introduce you to a few lawyers I know. If Fu Xin can steel herself to cut ties with her family.” Before she could finish, He Qingli grabbed her hand. “Quick! Send them to me right now!”

Then she immediately sent Xu Chun a generous red envelope in return.

For the rest of the day, Xu Chun was lost in thought. Staring at the red envelope from He Qingli, she hesitated for a long while before finally calling her agent. “Sister Yang, I want to set up a nonprofit foundation like President Qin’s to help women in need.”

Her agent was genuinely shocked by the idea. “Why?”

“No particular reason.” Xu Chun paused, then added, “But if I had to give one, maybe it’s because I want to accumulate some good karma. So when I die, I can keep enjoying the good life.”

Her agent’s eyelid twitched violently. “…………”

Though exasperated, since her artist had a plan, the agent agreed and started making arrangements. After delegating the task, Xu Chun sighed melodramatically, hugging a prop gun and muttering to herself, “Doing good deeds can’t be wrong. Who knows? Maybe one day, karma or the butterfly effect will save my sorry life.”

After muttering to herself, Xu Chun tossed the gun aside and took advantage of the break to carefully go over the original plot, afraid she might miss some crucial detail due to carelessness.

When Zhao Ciying arrived, she saw Xu Chun sprawled lazily and motionless on the rocking chair. Her tattered costume made her look like the village fool. The woman had been idly swaying in a daze until her gaze inadvertently swept past Zhao Ciying. At first, she didn’t seem to react, but a moment later, she froze abruptly, her eyes widening in disbelief as she stared over. “?!”

Xu Chun was so startled she nearly leaped off the rocking chair. She forced herself to calm down and quietly watched as Zhao Ciying slowly approached with her long strides.

After racking her brains, Xu Chun didn’t give Zhao Ciying a chance to speak first. Instead, she preemptively remarked with a sarcastic edge, “Director Zhao, have you and your dear Suisui made up already?”

Zhao Ciying hadn’t expected such a sudden jab and was momentarily stunned. Then, she narrowed her eyes slightly, a smile playing on her lips as she looked down at Xu Chun. “No, I didn’t agree.”

Xu Chun couldn’t help but show a hint of confusion at that. She hadn’t agreed? Then why had she followed Yu Sui’an out yesterday after just a few whispered words? Her suspicious gaze lingered on Zhao Ciying was this woman trying to fool her?

Seeing Xu Chun’s blatant distrust, Zhao Ciying sat down in front of her and raised an eyebrow. “Do you think I’m the kind of person who lets others manipulate me, who’d just wipe the slate clean because of a few words?” Zhao Ciying’s tone was indifferent. “Do you think anyone who crosses me gets off scot-free?”

Fair point. Someone like Zhao Ciying would probably chase a grudge to the ends of the earth and pay it back tenfold.

“Then why did you leave with her yesterday…?”

Instead of answering directly, Zhao Ciying adopted a tone laced with ambiguous amusement, drawing out her words meaningfully. “I didn’t realize you cared so much about me.”

Xu Chun couldn’t help but think: “?” Do you have the wrong idea about what “caring” means?

This wasn’t concern, it was just gathering intel.

Pleased to see Xu Chun rendered speechless, Zhao Ciying smirked. “Honestly, I quite like you.” She toyed with an unknown metal ring on her thumb. “Much more likable than Yu Sui’an’s personality.”

Her words seemed loaded, prompting Xu Chun to sit bolt upright with a serious expression. “Director Zhao, my heart already belongs to someone else.”

“Oh?” Zhao Ciying blinked with interest. “And so?”

Xu Chun suddenly lost her momentum and, after a long pause, gave up. “Never mind.” She glanced at Zhao Ciying. “As long as Director Zhao doesn’t collaborate with Yu Sui’an, I’d be very fond of you too.”

Her words seemed to open some new door for Zhao Ciying, who immediately leaned in closer. “Then if I…” She grinned. “Made Yu Sui’an’s life a living hell, would you fall for me on the spot?”

Xu Chun’s eyelids twitched as she quickly tried to dissuade her, urging her to pull back from the brink and turn over a new leaf: “President Zhao, this won’t do. We live in a society governed by law, and Yu Sui’an is a public figure. You could easily cross the line and land yourself in trouble.” She spoke earnestly, “No matter what grievances we have with others, we must use legitimate means.”

“I understand,” Zhao Ciying suddenly interjected with a serious expression. “So as long as I insist on banning her across all platforms now, stripping her of all resources, and then scheming to leave her with tens or hundreds of millions in debt, driving her into a corner that should suffice, right?”

Zhao Ciying narrowed her eyes with a smile: “Or perhaps I don’t even need to lift a finger myself. Just one word from me, and plenty would be eager to deal with her for me.”

“Don’t you think I’m right?”

Xu Chun: “…” She was momentarily speechless. Something felt off, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on it.

Zhao Ciying smiled warmly. “Over all these years, you’re the first one to advise me like this.” Her tone was half-serious, half-teasing, making it hard to discern her true intentions. “Everyone else either thinks I’m utterly ruthless either despising me to the core or scheming endlessly to extract some benefit from me.”

“You really are different from the rest.”

Upon hearing this, Xu Chun’s mind immediately conjured a cringe-worthy line Hmph, woman, you’ve successfully caught my attention giving herself goosebumps from the sheer cheesiness.

“I’m not particularly fond of making friends,” Zhao Ciying mused, watching her leisurely, “but if there’s something to gain, I suppose it’s not entirely out of the question.” She continued, “Find a time to relay my intentions to your parents. I’m interested in collaborating with them on the ‘Tianyu’ project but on one condition: your grandfather must step in to smooth things over.”

The ‘Tianyu’ project was all too familiar to Xu Chun. In the original story, it was a nationally significant mega-project involving Jiang Zhaolie and Yu Sui’an, funded by the government and jointly developed by several major corporations as a landmark success.

Back then, Jiang Zhaolie had leveraged his family’s influence to secure a leadership role, while Yu Sui’an, riding on Jiang’s coattails, became a project manager. Under the protagonist’s halo, one achieved fame and fortune, while the other transformed from a minor celebrity into a billionaire capitalist.

The sheer scale of the profits and potential returns involved was enough to make even Xu Chun’s heart race.

The fact that Zhao Ciying was willing to share the spoils with her parents instantly flipped Xu Chun’s impression of her 180 degrees. Overcome with emotion, she stood up, gazing at Zhao Ciying with admiration, and blurted out, “Director Zhao, you’re such a good person! I can never repay your kindness in this lifetime only in the next life will I serve you as your loyal ox or horse!”

Zhao Ciying: “…”

This lifetime won’t do? It has to be the next? Who knows what she’ll even be in the next life.

Zhao Ciying straightened her clothes deliberately and reminded her again, “Don’t forget my condition is that your grandfather must intervene.”

Xu Chun hesitated briefly before pulling out her phone and dialing a number. “Then I’ll ask Sister Qin first to see how likely Grandpa is to agree.”

Zhao Ciying: “? Why not just ask your grandfather? Why call Qin Yao? Is Qin Yao your grandfather?”

Xu Chun choked on her words, but just then, a voice came through the phone: “Does Director Zhao have an issue with that?”

The moment Qin Yao’s voice sounded, Xu Chun could immediately sense the shift in Zhao Ciying’s demeanor. Despite being separated by a phone call, the tension between the two suddenly escalated, leaving Xu Chun burning with curiosity, What kind of history do these two have?

Then, a chilling thought struck her: Could they be exes?!

The thought had barely crossed her mind when she noticed Zhao Ciying’s dangerous gaze settling on her. Zhao Ciying smiled gently, her expression as warm as a spring breeze, but her words sent an instant chill down Xu Chun’s spine: “Xu Chun.” She softly called her name. “You no longer have any attachments left in this world, do you?”

“Is that so.”

Xu Chun hesitated for a moment. Had she accidentally, voiced her thoughts aloud?

Whether she had or not, Xu Chun immediately let out a thunderous roar: “Dear sisters, let me explain!”

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