After Transmigrating into a Novel, I Became the Female Lead's Stepmother - Chapter 79

Since Xu Chun had generously offered to treat everyone, when the group had nearly finished their activities, they began packing up to head to the restaurant she had reserved in advance.

Xu Chun dusted herself off and stealthily sidled up to Tang Shiyu, her eyes twinkling mischievously. “Mom, did you win today?”

She was acting furtively, like a thief, which made Tang Shiyu look at her with exasperation. “Just a little,” she replied softly.

Xu Chun’s eyes immediately lit up with curiosity as she pressed for details. “So how much is ‘a little’ exactly?”

“Not much, just a few million,” Tang Shiyu said casually, completely unaware of how absurdly privileged her words sounded. Xu Chun froze in place, her face full of disbelief as she stared at Tang Shiyu did she just say a few million was “a little”?

More like a “few hundred million” would be closer to the truth.

Tang Shiyu explained, “I really didn’t win much.” She then pointed at Zheng Jinchan. “She probably won a few tens of millions.”

Xu Chun didn’t even let her finish. She immediately covered her ears and backed away. No, she couldn’t let these astronomical numbers desensitize her to the value of money.

She knew the big shots at the next table were wealthy, each with personal fortunes in the hundreds of billions or even trillions. But she never imagined that their casual games involved stakes this high. Xu Chun fell silent for a moment, she really hadn’t seen enough of the world, otherwise she wouldn’t be so shocked now.

Tang Shiyu knew her daughter wasn’t familiar with the leisurely pastimes of the ultra-rich, so she didn’t take her astonishment to heart. She simply advised, “You should avoid these kinds of games in the future.”

Xu Chun nodded, then couldn’t help but ask curiously, “What about Sister Qin, I mean, President Qin and President Zhao? Did they lose?”

“Not exactly.” Xu Chun noticed a subtle shift in Tang Shiyu’s expression, as if carefully choosing her words before revealing, “Qin Yao was probably today’s biggest winner.”

Just as Xu Chun was pondering this, Tang Shiyu added, “Zhao Ciying not only lost over ten million but also several buildings and multiple projects.”

“And all of that just ended up in Qin Yao’s pocket.”

Xu Chun was speechless: “…” If she were Zhao Ciying, she’d probably be bleeding from the heart and cursing Qin Yao for setting her up with some underhanded trick.

No sooner had this thought crossed her mind than Xu Chun heard Zhao Ciying’s sharp voice behind her, speaking to Qin Yao in a tone laced with barely contained fury. The distance made the exact words unclear, but the frustration in her voice was unmistakable.

Qin Yao’s gaze remained calm and emotionless as she watched Zhao Ciying’s outburst. With just one sentence, she completely shut her down: “President Zhao, surely you’re not trying to renege on your bet?”

Her voice was light, almost casual, yet carried an undeniable weight. “So this is the kind of unreasonable, dishonest person President Zhao really is in private.”

Zhao Ciying had only been venting her frustration in the heat of the moment, but Qin Yao’s words instantly provoked her. Like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, she flew into an even greater rage. “Don’t try reverse psychology on me it won’t work,” she snapped, crossing her arms and glaring coldly at Qin Yao. “Though my public reputation may be less than stellar, those who know me understand I’m not someone who goes back on my word.”

With a disdainful snort, Zhao Ciying added, “No need to worry about me reneging, President Qin. Whenever you have time, no, I’d be delighted if you came to my company tomorrow so we can settle today’s accounts properly.”

“With pleasure,” Qin Yao replied, a faint smile curling at her lips, as if she had finally been put at ease.

Seeing that serene, almost affectionate smile, Zhao Ciying felt the anger in her chest coil even tighter. She strongly suspected today’s mahjong game had been orchestrated by Qin Yao specifically to target her but she had no proof.

Besides, she had simply been outplayed today, so she would accept her loss gracefully.

Still, this incident gave Zhao Ciying a deeper understanding of Qin Yao’s cunning and scheming nature. The woman’s mind was more labyrinthine than the eighteen layers of hell. If Qin Yao set her sights on someone, her velvet-gloved iron fist could effortlessly leave them trapped in a web of troubles. Most people would avoid someone like her at all costs but not Zhao Ciying.

She was determined to see what other tricks Qin Yao had up her sleeve in the future.

Zheng Jinchan, understanding Zhao Ciying’s frustration after losing money, offered rare words of comfort. Zhao Ciying shot her a sidelong glance and managed a grunt in response. Having won today, Zheng Jinchan was in high spirits and didn’t mind Zhao Ciying’s brusque, hostile demeanor.

Qin Yao watched their exchange, her eyes darkening.

In her past life, after her death, for some reason, her spirit had not dissipated but instead lingered in the air, untethered by time or space. She had witnessed how, after she, Yu Sui’an, and Jiang Zhaolie had all passed away, the vast Qin family fortune had fallen entirely into Xu Chun’s hands, catapulting her into becoming the wealthiest widow in the country.

Xu Chun, delicate and seemingly fragile, with little backing from her own family, had no means of protection or support. As a vulnerable woman suddenly in possession of immense wealth, she became a prime target in everyone’s eyes.

Some resorted to threats, others to bribes, and some even schemed to force themselves upon her tarnishing her reputation to pressure her into marriage, all to seize her fortune and bolster their own power.

Their methods were despicable, leaving no stone unturned.

Though Qin Yao burned with fury, she was powerless to intervene.

In such dire straits, Xu Chun had nearly given up, her spirit crushed. But faced with those greedy, leering faces, a spark of defiance flared within her, spreading like wildfire until it consumed all reason. Why, after finally marrying Qin Yao and grasping hope, after reclaiming her light, must fate play such a cruel joke on her?

Was she truly so undeserving of anything good?

She refused to accept defeat or bow to fate. Watching Qin Yao grit her teeth and rise to her feet, she mustered her strength and swiftly took over the company. By chance, she crossed paths with Zheng Jinchan and managed to persuade her to offer support. Together, they joined forces to help Qin Yao gain complete control of the company.

Qin Yao remembered Xu Chun later asking Zheng Jinchan, “Why did you agree to help me back then?”

Zheng Jinchan gazed at her quietly for a long moment before replying, “Because you reminded me of my daughter. She’s about your age, but you’re far more sensible and mature than she is.”

Her tone was laced with frustration. “If she had even half no, a third of your composure, I’d thank the heavens.”

Though they were nearly the same age, Zheng Yanran lived carefree and extravagant, while this young woman before her had to bear the weight of everything on her slender shoulders. She had to fend off the remnants of Yu Sui’an’s faction within the company, preventing them from turning it into chaos, while also guarding against outsiders eyeing her with ill intent.

Zheng Jinchan couldn’t imagine how frantic and restless she would feel if something happened to her first, leaving Zheng Yanran to face such heartbreaking circumstances alone.

An unexpected surge of maternal affection softened Zheng Jinchan’s heart. Though she knew that if Xu Chun failed, she too would be implicated, she still agreed without hesitation.

After all, how could she stand by and watch such a lovely young woman suffer needlessly?

Though she had never crossed paths with Qin Yao before, she deeply admired the woman’s methods and demeanor. So when it came to Qin Yao’s young and charming widow, she was willing to lend a helping hand.

Because she believed that with Qin Yao’s shrewdness and intellect, she wouldn’t have married someone who was merely a pretty face.

What if Xu Chun could take her business even further?

She was gambling betting that Qin Yao’s judgment wouldn’t disappoint her.

With Zheng Jinchan’s support, some of those eyeing Xu Chun backed off slightly. But families with greater influence than Zheng Jinchan remained undeterred, even intensifying their harassment through the media, news outlets, and negotiation tables waiting for the moment Xu Chun’s spirit would break so they could swoop in.

It was then that Zhao Ciying abruptly intervened, unilaterally declaring in an overbearing and arrogant manner that Xu Chun belonged to her. From that day forward, if anyone dared to challenge her claim, she would ensure they had no place in either the underworld or legitimate society.

Her bold declaration drew all the hostility onto herself. Yet, in the face of Zhao Ciying, who never played by the rules, these adversaries were nothing but paper tigers. If one came to provoke her, she’d eliminate one. If two came, she’d swiftly take down both.

Confronted with her ruthlessness, those with weaker foundations quickly retreated.

There were plenty of wealthy women out there, it wouldn’t be worth risking their family’s legacy over one woman with countless competitors.

Better to bide their time and strike precisely when the moment was right. By then, Xu Chun wouldn’t be able to escape even if she tried.

With these thoughts in mind, the overwhelming voices and subtle actions that had nearly suffocated Xu Chun finally began to fade, and Qin Yao also breathed a sigh of relief. But who could have guessed that no sooner had they driven away a pack of wolves than a tiger appeared, Zhao Ciying was genuinely intent on marrying Xu Chun to claim both the woman and the fortune she had spent most of her life building.

Realizing this, Qin Yao nearly clenched her fists hard enough to shatter them.

Had she known earlier how arrogant and greedy Zhao Ciying was, she would have been the first to bankrupt her. But now, it was too late. All she could do was watch helplessly as Zhao Ciying showered Xu Chun with attention day after day sending flowers, buying jewelry, diamonds, handbags, and clothes, never repeating the same gesture twice.

To be fair, Qin Yao had to admit Zhao Ciying was generous.

For someone usually stingy and erratic, the fact that she was willing to spend so much effort and money to win Xu Chun over wasn’t necessarily a bad option for her. Most importantly, Xu Chun’s vast inheritance made her a target only someone of Zhao Ciying’s status and power could truly protect her.

Otherwise, as long as she remained unmarried, those covetous eyes would never leave her alone.

But Zhao Ciying was unpredictable, acting on whims rather than reason. Qin Yao couldn’t guarantee that after marrying Xu Chun, she wouldn’t immediately discard her and seize the inheritance for herself.

Moreover, given Zhao Ciying’s fickle nature, Qin Yao doubted she had any genuine affection for Xu Chun. In her eyes, Xu Chun was little more than a stepping stone to expand Zhao Ciying’s own wealth.

Faced with such a dilemma, even Qin Yao found herself at a loss.

Still, that didn’t stop her from recalling Zhao Ciying’s past actions in their previous life, her gaze sharpening involuntarily as it settled on her. Sensing the shift, Zhao Ciying turned and shot her a questioning look: “?”

Are you insane? I’m the one who lost money, yet you’re glaring at me like that? What the hell is your problem?

Her mood soured further. With a long stride, she decisively wedged herself next to Xu Chun. “Starting tomorrow, you’re coming to my place to teach me.”

Xu Chun, still processing the news that Zhao Ciying had nearly gambled away everything down to her underwear, heard the woman’s irritated voice beside her. “Alright.”

After a brief hesitation, she added, “I can give you a 10% discount.”

“Unnecessary,” Zhao Ciying coldly refused. “Wipe that pity off your face. A little money means nothing to me.” She smirked. “I’ve got plenty to spare.”

Xu Chun’s eyes instantly lit up, mischief stirring within her as she ventured dangerously close to the edge. “Then, how about you pay a little extra? I mean, my days aren’t exactly easy.”

Her words were cut off by Zhao Ciying’s suddenly gentle smile. The woman gazed at her with such tenderness that Xu Chun nearly mistook it for an illusion, teetering on the brink of surrender until Zhao Ciying’s tone abruptly shifted.

“Keep pushing it, and I’ll hang you from the persimmon tree in my garden to dry into a little fruit snack.”

Xu Chun shuddered on the spot and quickly backtracked. “A 10% discount it is, then.”

After all, survival came first.

The moment she showed weakness, the smile on Zhao Ciying’s face vanished instantly. She felt deeply unsettled, utterly out of sorts at this moment. So as soon as they arrived at the restaurant, Zhao Ciying ordered a large bottle of alcohol and began downing it by herself. It was unclear whether she was upset over nearly losing everything or simply furious at having been outmaneuvered by Qin Yao.

However, apart from Zhao Ciying, everyone else was in high spirits especially Xu Chun.

Not only had she bonded deeply with Jiang Banxia and Zheng Yanran, solidifying their friendship as life-and-death companions, but Zheng Jinchan and Tang Shiyu’s warm and friendly attitudes also lifted Xu Chun’s mood considerably.

After the meal, Tang Shiyu pulled Xu Chun aside and whispered, “Qin Yao, she’s actually a good person.”

Tang Shiyu knew that Qin Yao had been quietly creating opportunities for her to climb higher. She had taken note of every one of Qin Yao’s thoughtful gestures, keeping them close to heart. So when she spoke these words to her daughter now, they carried nine-tenths sincerity. “Long before you noticed, she had already done countless things for you in silence.”

“She’s the type who never speaks of the favors she does for others.”

Xu Chun neither agreed nor disagreed, Qin Yao was indeed that kind of person.

Truth be told, Xu Chun found Qin Yao rather awkward, almost like a socially inept elementary school student.

Clearly harboring feelings, yet always stopping just short, never taking that first step forward, as if afraid of disrupting some delicate balance. Clearly working tirelessly behind the scenes to handle everything, yet never mentioning a word, as though it didn’t matter whether anyone knew the truth.

Perhaps Qin Yao never expected anything in return when she did these things, so whether the recipient was aware or not made no difference to her.

As long as she could give, as long as she could see the other person happy and safe, that was enough for her.

And the more she was like this, the more irresistibly captivating she became.

Xu Chun slowly lowered her eyelids, her lashes falling like a curtain in an instant. Her expression was hard to discern in the dim light, her thoughts even more elusive.

“I’ll head back first,” Tang Shiyu said with a smile, patting Xu Chun’s head. “Follow your heart. Don’t let others sway you too easily, and don’t live with regrets.”

“No matter what you choose, your father and I will support you.”

“Okay.” Xu Chun watched as Tang Shiyu got into the car, her gaze lingering on the taillights fading into the distance. Quietly, she thought that perhaps she could be the one to take the first step to let Qin Yao know how she truly felt.

After some final exchanges, the group gradually dispersed. Qin Yao lingered not far from Xu Chun, her eyes flickering with emotion, visibly moved.

Even now, she wasn’t entirely sure whether she should selfishly claim the other for herself.

She was afraid of repeating the past leaving too soon, abandoning the other to face the world alone. To this day, she could still vividly recall Xu Chun’s reaction when, after Yu Sui’an had framed her, pulled strings to have her arrested, and swiftly disposed of her, the news had reached Xu Chun.

It was only the second day after their wedding. She had just joyfully married him in her red bridal gown, only to hear the devastating news of his sudden death in prison. In an instant, their crimson wedding chamber turned snow-white.

Red paper cutouts of the double happiness character, hastily torn from walls and doors throughout the house, littered the floor. The white walls interspersed with red and white paper created a scene both ironic and eerily beautiful.

Xu Chun’s red bridal gown transformed before one’s eyes into white mourning clothes. The woman who had been breathtakingly beautiful yesterday now appeared with an extreme, transcendent elegance that was impossible to ignore. Her exquisite face showed no expression, her natural features untouched by makeup. Her raven hair was tied up, and even the simple white flower at her temple accentuated her unparalleled, pure beauty.

In Qin Yao’s eyes, Xu Chun had always been strong. Whether it was being rejected by Jiang Zhaolie, watching Yu Sui’an marry Jiang Zhaolie, or even when the Xu family went bankrupt, she had never shed a single tear.

But that night, Qin Yao saw her weeping uncontrollably, smashing the guest room where Jiang Zhaolie and Yu Sui’an had stayed to pieces in hysterical fury.

Qin Yao thought that perhaps Xu Chun had already guessed guessed that Yu Sui’an was the one who had orchestrated this against her.

But what good did guessing do now? It was all too late. Qin Yao moved closer to Xu Chun, who was crouched on the ground, hugging her knees and sobbing uncontrollably. She longed to reach out and hold her, to offer comfort, but even such a simple gesture was beyond her.

All she could do was silently, invisibly, stay by her side, listening as Xu Chun screamed hoarsely in despair, “Why? Why, even after giving everything I had, can I still change nothing?!”

“The misunderstandings, the distance, the disdain none of it makes any sense! I tried so hard to explain, so why wouldn’t anyone believe me? And now, when I finally have Qin Yao, when I thought I could change the story, change my fate, why won’t you even let me have that?!”

“Is it just because Yu Sui’an and Jiang Zhaolie are the protagonists that I, the villainess, have to suffer like this for no reason?!”

“They win effortlessly without lifting a finger, while I exhaust every possible means, pour my heart and soul into it, only to end up like this broken and defeated.”

“It’s not fair! It’s not fair!!”

Qin Yao stared, stunned, at Xu Chun’s agonized cries to the heavens. Protagonists? Villainess? What was she talking about?

But Xu Chun gave no answers. Qin Yao watched as she quickly reined in her breakdown, her tear-streaked face now expressionless, only the redness in her eyes betraying a cold fury. She saw Xu Chun pick up the phone and call Yu Sui’an and Jiang Zhaolie. “Come over today,” she said.

“There’s something I need to tell you.”

Even then, Qin Yao felt a sense of foreboding. Sure enough, Xu Chun calmly opened her laptop, searched for a particular website, and dialed the number displayed on the screen. Within half an hour, the delivery arrived.

After handing over the cash, Xu Chun sat alone on the plush sofa in the lavish living room, meticulously assembling the firearm while following an instructional video at a leisurely pace. She waited there alone from dawn until dusk.

As night fell heavily, Jiang Zhaolie and Yu Sui’an arrived hand in hand, right on time.

Xu Chun hadn’t bothered to tidy up. Her hair was disheveled, her clothes wrinkled. The usually immaculate woman now looked as disheveled as a stray pet begging for scraps, leaving Jiang Zhaolie and Yu Sui’an momentarily stunned.

“Sit,” Xu Chun said, tilting her chin toward them upon hearing their arrival.

Though her appearance seemed fragile, her attitude was unyielding. Despite his usual impatience, Yu Sui’an surprisingly didn’t oppose her this time and obediently took a seat. “What did you call us here for?”

“What for?” Xu Chun’s eyes shifted, her tone lifting slightly. She studied Yu Sui’an silently for a long moment before suddenly breaking into a radiant smile. “What do you think I called you here for?”

“Of course it’s to send you all to hell!” She suddenly pulled out a gun and fired wildly at Yu Sui’an. “Aren’t you the female lead? Don’t you have protagonist halo? Then let’s see if this world collapses completely when you die!”

Then she aimed the gun at Jiang Zhaolie. “And you! If it weren’t for you, how could Qin Yao and I have ended up like this? Qin Yao raised and taught you, yet not only did you bite the hand that fed you, now you dare join forces with Yu Sui’an to take her life! You’re inhuman.”

Xu Chun didn’t know how many shots she fired. When she came to her senses, both people on the sofa were lying in pools of blood. Jiang Zhaolie was struggling to crawl toward her, prostrating at her feet, laboriously reaching out a hand as if trying to take the weapon from her.

Xu Chun slowly crouched down, her voice laced with temptation. “Want it?”

Jiang Zhaolie nodded weakly. “Give it to me.”

Xu Chun curled her lips into a smile, about to shatter her unrealistic fantasy, when she heard Jiang Zhaolie speak word by word: “Give me the gun you set fire burn this place.”

“You’ll be innocent.”

Xu Chun froze. Was she taking the blame for her?

She couldn’t help but laugh bitterly. “What’s with the sudden act of kindness now? You had countless chances to prevent all this, but you didn’t. You let her hurt Qin Yao until Qin Yao lost her life because of her. So my dear stepdaughter, you don’t actually think I’d soften and spare you just because you’re putting on an act now, do you?”

With that, Xu Chun decisively fired a final shot, ending Jiang Zhaolie’s life completely.

The house fell silent again. Looking at the chaos around her, Xu Chun unhesitatingly knocked over the gasoline can, destroying all traces of sin in what was once her and Qin Yao’s marital home.

Qin Yao watched helplessly as Xu Chun collapsed slowly in the thick smoke, then was miraculously rescued. Her heart was filled with a bittersweet mix of emotions—she tasted every possible feeling in that single short night.

She had never imagined that the person who always spoke coldly to her would seek revenge on her behalf. Nor had she dreamed that someone who claimed to only covet her wealth and status could love so deeply as to follow her into death.

Qin Yao felt her eyes grow moist. Gazing at the blurred halos of light in her vision, she couldn’t help wondering: If she, Jiang Zhaolie, and Yu Sui’an all disappeared from Xu Chun’s world, leaving no trace behind, could Xu Chun’s predetermined fate be changed?

Could she then live happily ever after, completely rewriting her destiny as a supporting character?

“Sister!” A clear voice suddenly pulled Qin Yao back to reality. She looked down slightly to see Xu Chun’s fair cheeks tinged with a maidenly blush in the night. Her eyes shone like starlight bright, brilliant, and almost unreal in their beauty, so close yet untouchable.

Xu Chun’s heart pounded like a drum, her nervousness overwhelming. After taking a stealthy deep breath, she clenched her fists, mustered all her courage, and stared straight into Qin Yao’s misty, slightly blurred eyes. “Sister, let’s be together, okay?”

“What I mean is,  I love you. Like the willow’s sway, the cicada’s song, the sunset’s tide unstoppable, unceasing.”

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