After Transmigrating into a Novel, I Became the Female Lead's Stepmother - Chapter 77

Xu Chun moved with excruciating slowness to Qin Yao’s side, reaching up to help remove her coat before turning to hand it to her.

Qin Yao gazed up at her with inscrutable eyes. Having just woken from a nap, her previously immaculate hair was slightly disheveled, softening her usual aloof and unapproachable demeanor with a touch of domestic intimacy.

This version of Qin Yao didn’t repel instead, she drew people in, making them yearn to close the distance. Humans couldn’t help but be drawn to beautiful things, and at this moment, Xu Chun was no exception. Up close, she took in Qin Yao’s striking, elegant features her cool, picturesque brows, the straight bridge of her nose, its delicate tip, and finally, her perfectly shaped lips, all without restraint.

Being around someone this beautiful, Xu Chun mused, one could probably survive without eating.

Perhaps her gaze was too intense, because Qin Yao slowly rose to her feet, instantly reversing their height difference. Xu Chun was forced to tilt her head back, her fair, graceful neck arching elegantly.

She wasn’t short for a woman in fact, she towered over ninety percent of her peers but next to Qin Yao, she could only look up, her eyes meeting the other woman’s face from a distance.

Xu Chun stared quietly, her lashes fluttering several times, her clear eyes reflecting Qin Yao’s thick, distinct eyelashes. Qin Yao took the coat from her hands, lowering her gaze to study Xu Chun for a long moment before suddenly leaning in.

Xu Chun’s vision blurred, and then something soft pressed against her lips, moving slowly, deliberately.

Shocked, her eyes flew open. She wanted to push Qin Yao away, but her body had gone rigid, frozen in place.

Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined Qin Yao would be so bold as to sneak something so intimate with so many people just outside. What if someone saw them?

The thought snapped Xu Chun back to her senses. She raised her hands to shove Qin Yao away, only for the other woman to effortlessly catch her wrists, rendering her struggles useless. Qin Yao’s aggression and dominance were on full display now. Fearful of making noise, Xu Chun had no choice but to let her explore at will.

The air between them grew heated, thick with tension. Xu Chun’s pulse raced, and unconsciously, she leaned closer, craving more.

But the movement seemed to snap Qin Yao out of it. She released Xu Chun abruptly, stepping back as if nothing had happened, then leisurely slipped into the coat she’d been holding.

Every motion was elegant, unhurried a picture of grace.

Watching her, Xu Chun gained a deeper understanding of her own weakness for beauty. Yet she couldn’t help but resent Qin Yao’s habit of stoking the flames without ever putting them out.

She was an adult with normal needs, after all. How could she endure this constant teasing always left wanting, never satisfied? If this went on much longer, she’d surely lose her mind!

Perhaps her expression was too full of silent resentment to ignore. After adjusting her coat, Qin Yao turned back to her with a deep smile in her eyes. “Come to my place tonight?”

She didn’t elaborate on what they would do there, and Xu Chun didn’t ask.

Xu Chun remained silent, wrestling with hesitation over whether she should agree. As she pondered, Qin Yao didn’t press her, simply watching quietly, waiting for her answer. After a moment, perhaps sensing that her gaze might add pressure, Qin Yao turned away, smoothing her long, dark hair instead.

Xu Chun’s eyes followed her unconsciously. She thought agreeing might not be so bad after all, getting to strip naked and “wrestle” with someone as extraordinary as Qin Yao was, strictly speaking, a win for her.

But…

She pressed her lips together lightly. She wasn’t sure what kind of attitude Qin Yao had toward their relationship. Would she grow bored later? Or would she walk away without a second thought once things got busy?

The possibility left Xu Chun feeling deeply insecure.

In the past, she might have thrown herself into this without hesitation. But things were different now, this was a yuri story with clearly defined leads and supporting roles, and Xu Chun had no idea what her ending would be.

The girl stood there quietly, saying nothing. Qin Yao watched her from the corner of her eye, a pang of emotion stirring in her chest. Once, this girl had been a fearless warrior charging headlong into love. Now, she hesitated, held back by caution.

Qin Yao would never forget how Xu Chun had pursued her relentlessly, with a passion so intense it overwhelmed her. After all, who wouldn’t be stunned when their former almost-daughter-in-law, upon being hired at their company, outright declared she had feelings and wanted to marry them?

For a while, Qin Yao had noticed something off about Xu Chun’s behavior, but she’d assumed it was resentment blame for not stepping in when Jiang Zhaolie trampled over her dignity like wild greens.

So when Xu Chun said she wanted to earn her way into Qin Corporation as a personal assistant, Qin Yao agreed without a second thought.

Little did she know, she was inviting a wolf into her home.

At first, Xu Chun had restrained herself looking but not touching. But then, at some point, she started taking action. She reenacted every cliché CEO move from dramas, even inventing new tactics that left Qin Yao flustered and helpless, forced to avoid her.

She didn’t know if Xu Chun truly loved her and wanted a life together, or if this was just revenge, a way to make Jiang Zhaolie and Yu Sui’an miserable. So no matter how Xu Chun pushed, even coerced her, Qin Yao never gave a direct answer.

Because she wasn’t sure if she could give her what she wanted, nor was she certain whether she could come to like her or take responsibility for her for a lifetime.

So the two of them kept testing each other, neither willing to reveal their true feelings, until…

Her thoughts snapped back abruptly. Qin Yao lowered her hand from adjusting her hair and turned to face Xu Chun. Based on her past understanding of the other woman, she knew all too well the defenses Xu Chun had built around her heart. That was why she wasn’t in a hurry now.

As long as she remained patient, what she would ultimately gain was bound to be someone who loved her wholeheartedly, with eyes only for her.

Xu Chun felt unnerved under Qin Yao’s gaze. She had the strange illusion that she had been completely seen through as if she were standing naked before the other woman, stripped bare. Startled by her own thoughts, Xu Chun shivered and shook her body, brushing it off with a vague, “We’ll talk about it later.”

She grinned, trying her best to appear innocent. “Anyway, there’s still plenty of time.”

Qin Yao nodded, her demeanor polite and measured. “Alright.”

Seeing this, Xu Chun couldn’t help but exhale softly in relief. Her eyes darted around before she obediently followed Qin Yao out. When Zheng Yanran finally saw her emerge, she teased without restraint, “What took you so long in there? Anyone would think you two were up to something.”

The moment those words left her mouth, the others immediately turned to look.

Four pairs of eyes fixed directly on Xu Chun, whose face stiffened. “…”

Putting on an exaggerated show of anger, she planted her hands on her hips and glared fiercely at Zheng Yanran before turning to Zheng Jinchan. “Sister Zheng, she’s making baseless accusations, spouting nonsense, stirring up trouble, and tarnishing my innocence! It’s breaking my heart, I’ll be so upset I won’t even sleep tonight!”

Zheng Yanran: “…” Wow, someone’s been acing their idioms.

Hearing this, Zheng Jinchan lazily lifted her eyelids at Zheng Yanran. “Zheng Yanran, are you itching for a spanking again?”

Stung by her mother’s bias toward Xu Chun, Zheng Yanran clutched her chest in exaggerated agony. “Mom!” Her eyes welled up as if she might, in the next second, hurl herself onto a block of tofu in despair. “I’m your actual flesh and blood!”

Her daughter’s theatrics were more dramatic than her own scheming nature. Zheng Jinchan rolled her eyes. “Get lost. Don’t ruin my mahjong mood.”

Her own mother wouldn’t even spare her dignity. Zheng Yanran choked back a retort, baring her teeth defiantly. “No!” She shoved a tile into the machine with a vengeance. “I’m playing too.”

Rubbing her hands together, she swore silently: Today, she would win a year’s worth of allowance from her mom.

Jiang Banxia, seeing Xu Chun and Qin Yao emerge, had intended to offer them her seat. But Zhao Ciying suddenly spoke up, her gaze fixed on Xu Chun. “Teach me.”

The room fell silent at her words. Several pairs of questioning eyes lingered on Zhao Ciying, unmoving.

Xu Chun instinctively pointed at herself. “Me?”

Zhao Ciying nodded. “If I win, we split it. If I lose, you don’t pay a cent.”

Xu Chun’s eyes instantly lit up. A deal like this?!

However, with her skills, winning would be a piece of cake, wouldn’t it? So wouldn’t she earn even more if she played alone? She hesitated for a moment. Zhao Ciying narrowed her eyes at her expression before finally saying nonchalantly, “If we win big today, I’ll gift you a sports car too.”

“How embarrassing.” Xu Chun quickly replied, her cheeks flushed like peach blossoms, smiling like a freshly bloomed flower. With such an offer, it would be a crime to hesitate over this windfall. Without another thought, she immediately moved toward Zhao Ciying only to have her wrist abruptly grabbed after just two steps.

Turning back, she saw Qin Yao part her red lips and say, “She already promised me earlier.”

Xu Chun: “?”

Hong Shixian’s confusion.jpg

When did I agree to that?

But Qin Yao’s deadpan expression made it hard to disbelieve her, to the point where even Xu Chun herself faltered, desperately trying to recall what exactly had been said earlier.

“Yet she doesn’t seem to remember at all,” Zhao Ciying remarked with a faint smile.

Unfazed, Qin Yao simply looked at Xu Chun, her meaning clear.

Xu Chun glanced left at Qin Yao, then right at Zhao Ciying both equally stubborn and unwilling to back down. Her head was spinning. This was an absolute no-win situation! No matter whom she chose, the other would never let it go easily.

Just as she agonized over the dilemma, Zheng Jinchan suddenly interjected leisurely, “Her prolonged silence clearly means she doesn’t want either of you.”

Xu Chun instantly: “!” That’s not true! Don’t put words in my mouth!

Then, Zheng Jinchan smiled gently. “Come to my side instead.” Ignoring the imposing auras of Zhao Ciying and Qin Yao, she said cheerfully, “It’s just a casual game of mahjong for fun today. Why take it so seriously?”

Xu Chun thought Zheng Jinchan made perfect sense wasn’t this just a leisurely pastime? What did winning or losing matter? The important thing was everyone enjoying themselves. But Zhao Ciying immediately countered, even posing a soul-stirring question: “I asked her to sit by my side to bond and pursue her.”

“Are you two doing the same?”

The air froze for a moment. After a pause, Zheng Yanran instinctively looked at Zheng Jinchan. Once she snapped out of it, she nervously turned her gaze to Jiang Banxia. After staring at Jiang Banxia for a while, she suddenly realized she hadn’t actually caught her mother’s expression or thoughts earlier and hurriedly shifted her focus back to Zheng Jinchan.

But as she watched Zheng Jinchan, she worried she might miss Jiang Banxia’s reaction by staring too long at her mother, so her eyes darted rapidly between the two until they nearly cramped.

Finally, Zheng Yanran shot a fierce glare at Xu Chun, startling her.

You damn troublemaker! Why must you attract so many flowers and stir up so much trouble? How can you handle so many aunties?!

Some are parched while others drown.

Xu Chun couldn’t decipher Zheng Yanran’s meaning. Just as she prepared to study it closely, her attention was swiftly stolen by Zheng Jinchan. “Hmm?” Zheng Jinchan arched a brow, her enchanting smile instantly captivating. “Is that not allowed?”

As the words fell, the atmosphere instantly grew tense.

Zheng Yanran didn’t dare to act mischievous anymore and immediately sat up properly, like a model student. Zhao Ciying stared at Zheng Jinchan for a long while before finally turning to Xu Chun and asking directly, “What do you think?”

Her tone was drawn out, her pace unhurried. “Choose me, or her or perhaps her, or her.”

Just listening to it made Xu Chun’s scalp tingle. She had no idea why these people had suddenly started competing like this. Could she just bow out? But judging by Zhao Ciying’s expression, that didn’t seem likely.

After a long silence, Xu Chun declared with utmost seriousness, “Only children make choices.”

Zheng Yanran and Jiang Banxia, both seasoned internet surfers, immediately sensed something ominous. Sure enough, Xu Chun followed up with, “Adults take them all.”

“So I’m choosing everyone here!”

No one gets to escape!

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