After Transmigrating into a Novel, I Became the Female Lead's Stepmother - Chapter 83

Qin Yao was like someone who had abstained from indulgence for years suddenly breaking their vow. The long-suppressed desires came crashing forth like a breached dam, overwhelming Xu Chun almost instantly.

Xu Chun had imagined what Qin Yao might be like in private, but no matter how hard she tried to picture it, she never expected her to be even more passionate and fierce in bed than she could have dreamed.

Lying on the bed in utter exhaustion, Xu Chun’s mind wandered, she was definitely going to die in bed one day.

As Xu Chun gradually fell still, Qin Yao moved closer, slipping a hand beneath her neck and gently cradling it. “Tired?”

Xu Chun barely managed to lift her eyelids to glance at her. Wasn’t it obvious? Every inch of her body ached, as if screaming, “I can’t take it anymore.”

Perhaps her pitiful expression was too amusing, because Qin Yao chuckled softly. “Alright, we’ll stop for today. I won’t torment you anymore.”

Xu Chun let out a sigh of relief, then paused. Wait, something wasn’t right. Her eyes widened slightly as she stared at Qin Yao. Hold on, so if she hadn’t been tired, this woman would’ve just kept going?!

Please, have some mercy.

Xu Chun thought this with complete sincerity.

The novels He Qingli had recommended to her always depicted the younger partner as insatiable, leaving the older one begging for mercy. So how had she and Qin Yao ended up with the complete opposite dynamic?

It was truly a tragedy, enough to make listeners weep.

Though Qin Yao had promised to spare her, they still ended up tangled together until late into the night before finally settling down. Gazing at Qin Yao’s face, Xu Chun couldn’t help but marvel inwardly. No wonder this woman had defied the original plot and built an empire even grander than the story had described. With this kind of stamina and energy, how could she not be extraordinary?

Truly outstanding people excelled in every aspect, Xu Chun mused drowsily before finally succumbing to exhaustion and falling into a deep sleep.

Qin Yao rose early again the next morning. She shifted all non-essential work to remote handling, while tasks that couldn’t be postponed were rescheduled by her secretary, Zhao, to after three or four in the afternoon.

Reading Qin Yao’s messages, Secretary Zhao suddenly had the strange impression of “the emperor no longer holds morning court.”

But as Qin Yao’s meticulously organized instructions continued to pour in, Zhao quickly shook off the absurd thought. “Understood.” If Qin Yao wanted to indulge herself for once, she’d just pretend not to notice.

Xu Chun ended up staying at Qin Yao’s place for four or five days. During that time, Xu Wei messaged her repeatedly, probing for details about her whereabouts. After a few half-hearted replies, Xu Chun finally gave up and texted back:

[I’ll be back tonight.]

Xu Wei immediately responded cheerfully: [Great!]

[What do you want to eat? I’ll have Auntie prepare it right away. Something light or something richer? Oh, and the Wagyu beef I had airmailed from overseas just arrived today, let’s have hot pot!]

Lazily sprawled on the bed, Xu Chun rested her chin on a soft pillow. [Anything’s fine.]

She wasn’t picky about food, so she added: [Just make what you like. I don’t care.]

Xu Wei couldn’t help but purse her lips, how perfunctory. But moments later, she quickly adjusted her mood, perked up, and hurried downstairs to instruct the housekeeper, “My sister’s coming home today. Auntie, please organize the ingredients in the fridge. We’re having hotpot tonight.”

After giving instructions, Xu Wei hastily fetched a bottle of red wine from the cellar and ordered some small cakes. She busied herself tidying up the house, only stopping when everything met her expectations, eagerly awaiting Xu Chun’s return.

Before Qin Yao left for the company, Xu Chun shared her plans: “I’m going home later.” She gazed up at Qin Yao, who was meticulously tying up her hair, her eyes brimming with affection. “Xu Wei’s been pestering me for days.”

Qin Yao turned around, setting down the comb after securing her hair. “I’ll take you.”

Xu Chun was about to decline, saying she could just take a taxi, but Qin Yao interrupted, “It’s on my way anyway. Besides, I don’t feel comfortable with you riding in a stranger’s car.”

“…Alright then.” Xu Chun didn’t refuse further and agreed.

Riding with a stranger was indeed risky. Better safe than sorry, she hadn’t forgotten how much she and Qin Yao had already twisted the original plot. Who knew if the storyline might self-correct and turn her into cannon fodder?

After a quick tidy-up, the two walked side by side to the garage. When Qin Yao’s car pulled up steadily in front of the Xu family’s gate, Xu Chun unbuckled her seatbelt, leaned over, and planted a loud kiss on Qin Yao’s lips. Reluctantly, she said, “I’m heading in now.” After a moment’s thought, she added, “See you in a couple of days.”

“Mm.” Qin Yao curved her lips, then suddenly cupped the back of Xu Chun’s head, pulling her in for a thorough, domineering kiss before finally letting her go.

Xu Chun stepped out of the car looking thoroughly ravished. Suppressing the urge to protest, she smiled faintly and waved at Qin Yao. Qin Yao gave a slight nod before driving off without hesitation, disappearing from Xu Chun’s sight.

Xu Chun knew Qin Yao had been busy lately, though she wasn’t sure with what. In her impression, Qin Yao had always been swamped with work, so she didn’t dwell on it.

Occasionally, though, she’d catch snippets of Qin Yao’s conversations with Secretary Zhao mentioning someone named “Qiao,” which reminded her of her former rumored love interest, Qiao Wan.

After their few encounters back then, they seemed to have had no further interaction.

“Sis!” Xu Chun was deep in thought when Xu Wei’s voice suddenly rang out, snapping her back to reality. Turning around, she saw Xu Wei bouncing over with a pout. “Where have you been these past few days? You didn’t even come home.”

“Staying at a friend’s place,” Xu Chun replied dismissively, puzzled by this nominal sister’s sudden concern. After a moment’s consideration, she narrowed her eyes slightly and asked, “Did you get into trouble behind my back?”

Unsolicited kindness often comes with ulterior motives.

Xu Wei’s expression stiffened for a brief moment before quickly returning to normal. “How could that be? You’re overthinking it, sis.” She hastily linked arms with Xu Chun, steering her toward the house while babbling random nonsense to divert her attention.

Only when Xu Chun stopped dwelling on the matter did Xu Wei finally let out a sigh of relief. That was close, she had almost been found out.

She had indeed made a small mistake, but it wasn’t a big deal. It should blow over soon. Actually, it was somewhat related to Xu Chun. After Yu Sui’an publicly announced on Weibo that she wouldn’t be participating in the drama’s promotions, her few remaining fans had lashed out, directing all their anger at Xu Chun.

When Xu Wei saw the comments, she immediately flew into a rage and sprinted over metaphorically speaking to engage in a heated online battle with the fans.

But after thoroughly venting her fury, she realized , she had forgotten to switch to her burner account.

Though Xu Chun’s fans and even neutral bystanders praised her for being fiercely protective of her sister’s reputation and dignity, Xu Wei was still worried that Xu Chun might later hold her accountable. So she decided to butter her up in advance to avoid a scolding.

That said, Xu Wei didn’t think she was in the wrong.

Yu Sui’an was already in such a pitiful state, yet her fans still refused to back down and had the audacity to act so arrogantly. Xu Wei was so furious she could grind her teeth to dust, wishing some powerful figure would take mercy and crush Yu Sui’an once and for all, ensuring she could never make a splash again. But now that Yu Sui’an was recognized as the Jiang family’s illegitimate daughter, Xu Wei knew her fantasy was just that, a fantasy.

Still, that didn’t stop her from utterly despising Yu Sui’an.

She even briefly considered bribing Yu Sui’an’s half-siblings to team up and drive her to ruin preferably forcing her into such dire straits that she’d flee abroad to live out her days in miserable obscurity.

But after some thought, she gave up on the idea. The reason was simple, she was broke.

All the money she had saved up in her early years had been extorted by Xu Chun, leaving her pockets emptier than her conscience.

Xu Chun followed the distracted Xu Wei back home. When she saw the carefully decorated house, she turned to Xu Wei with an amused smirk, making the latter immediately avert her eyes in guilt. Xu Wei didn’t want to explain, and Xu Chun didn’t press her. After enjoying a lavish meal, Xu Chun stretched lazily and thanked her with utmost sincerity, “Thanks for the hospitality, dear sister.”

Xu Wei was about to respond politely when she suddenly noticed a faint red mark flash across the side of Xu Chun’s neck. She opened her mouth to ask, but Xu Chun had already lowered her arms, and the suspicious mark was swiftly hidden beneath her dark hair as if it had never existed.

Xu Wei’s lips twitched, but in the end, she didn’t voice her question. Instead, she silently speculated about the identity of the vixen who had been intimate with her sister.

If they weren’t good enough, she would never approve of the match.

Her sister was so beautiful, so dazzling only. Xu Wei thought seriously only the most powerful elites from top-tier wealthy families were worthy of her.

After resting at home for half a day, Xu Chun received the promotional schedule for the next month from her agent the following morning. Due to Yu Sui’an voluntarily declaring her non-participation, Jiang Banxia’s name suddenly moved up the list, placed right beside Xu Chun’s with an additional note labeling her as “female lead #2.”

Xu Chun couldn’t help but feel puzzled wasn’t Yu Sui’an supposed to be the second female lead? Or perhaps this “female lead #2” wasn’t what she thought it was. In reality, Yu Sui’an had already been elevated to co-lead status alongside her.

She considered asking her agent but figured they likely wouldn’t know either. After some thought, she decided to let it go, it wasn’t really her concern anyway. Whether Yu Sui’an was the lead or supporting actress now, no matter how much benefit she reaped, it wouldn’t change anything.

Several days later, the promotional events for Secret Crush finally began. Having spent her days idly at home until she grew restless, Xu Chun eagerly slipped into the elegant dress personally selected by Qin Yao. Under the stylist’s expert touch, she radiated an alluring charm, breathtakingly beautiful to the point of leaving people speechless and dazed.

Her agent made a special trip to accompany her to the venue. During the car ride, the agent repeatedly emphasized, “Even though we’ve already briefed the reporters, you still need to be mentally prepared for any questions about Yu Sui’an.” With a serious expression, the agent continued, “When that happens, either give vague responses or play dumb and act like you don’t know anything. Whatever you do, don’t give them anything they can use against you.”

Since Yu Sui’an’s downfall, Xu Chun’s skyrocketing popularity had made her a target for many. Though Xu Chun was now an experienced actress, her agent still felt uneasy recalling her past tendency to make shockingly blunt remarks during reality shows. The agent feared Xu Chun might slip back into her old ways, saying something inappropriate today. While the team could handle any fallout, it would inevitably damage her reputation and public image.

As the agent rambled on, Xu Chun finally interrupted, “I know, Sister Yang.” She flashed an OK sign and reassured her, “You can relax, one hundred and twenty percent.”

The agent fell silent. Even two hundred percent reassurance wouldn’t completely ease her vigilance. But seeing Xu Chun’s composed and confident demeanor, the agent eventually quieted down.

Thanks to the deep pockets of the investors, today’s venue was exceptionally grand. The space was packed with an overwhelming sea of reporters and media personnel, a truly spectacular sight. Though the main cast hadn’t yet taken the stage, the area was already buzzing with live broadcast setups and cameras rolling in preparation.

Online viewership across various streaming platforms surged dramatically at this moment. Despite the sheer number of live streams, each one still drew a substantial audience everyone was simply too curious.

People were curious about why Yu Sui’an suddenly withdrew from the entertainment industry, why she didn’t even attend promotional events, what personal grudges and feelings existed between Xu Chun and Yu Sui’an, and whether Jiang Banxia was truly Xu Chun’s “white moonlight” as rumored online. Even more intriguing was Jiang Banxia’s perspective on the relationship between her rumored romantic interest and her own half-sister.

They had been secretly indulging in this gossip for a year. Now, faced with this rare opportunity to ask questions freely, how could they possibly let it slip by?

Just the thought of it made them certain that today’s event would be full of drama, excitement, and sensational twists.

Xu Chun, sensitive to the atmosphere, noticed something was off the moment she arrived. The reporters in the venue looked at her like wolves catching the scent of blood, their eyes practically glowing green.

Her lips twitched involuntarily. She turned to Jiang Banxia, whom she had coincidentally run into earlier, and said solemnly, “I have a feeling today’s event might get a little… out of control.”

Jiang Banxia couldn’t help but laugh. “Normally, we never address certain topics directly. Now that they finally have the chance, of course they’ll dig for answers.”

Xu Chun nodded, then suddenly veered off-topic. “But our poster looks really good.”

She stopped to examine it for a long moment before smiling. “The way we’re positioned… anyone who didn’t know better would think we were the on-screen couple.”

It was hard to say what the production team had been thinking they had deliberately enlarged Xu Chun and Jiang Banxia’s images, and the chemistry between them was so palpable it was impossible not to misunderstand.

Meanwhile, Yu Sui’an was relegated to a lonely corner. If not for the fact that she was the second lead after Xu Chun, people might have mistaken her for an extra.

Jiang Banxia found it odd too, but since Qin Yao always had her reasons, she simply chuckled and speculated, “Probably to avoid risks.”

Xu Chun accepted that explanation and didn’t press further.

After waiting backstage for about fifteen minutes, it was finally time for Xu Chun, Jiang Banxia, and the rest of the cast to take the stage. As the host’s narration played, Xu Chun stepped out from behind the curtain. The spotlight instantly bathed her in a radiant glow, making her skin appear flawless and almost ethereal.

Xu Chun had always been known for her striking, glamorous beauty, but today, there was an added softness a coy, tender charm that made her seem almost lovestruck. The live chat, after a brief pause, erupted with comments:

[Why does Xu Chun look like she’s in love?]

[+10086. That unmistakable glow and gentleness women get when they’re in a relationship it’s too obvious.]

[So the real question is who’s the fox spirit that seduced our Xu-jie?! Who dared sneak behind my back and steal her?! Rage.jpg]

Like a stone tossed into a pond, the topic #XuChunPossiblyInLove quickly spread. Meanwhile, the woman in question stood gracefully on stage, microphone in hand, greeting the audience and fans through hundreds of cameras with poised elegance.

“Hello everyone, I’m Xu Chun. In this drama, I play the role of the domineering and charismatic CEO Lin.”

With her stunning looks and gentle tone, fans and passersby alike were instantly captivated, falling helplessly under her spell.

Just as the entire internet was reveling in this breathtaking beauty, Jiang Banxia made her appearance. As the heiress who had seemingly dropped out of nowhere into the entertainment industry, public curiosity about her was undeniable. Unfortunately, after filming this drama, Jiang Banxia had vanished without a trace, leaving no opportunity for further scrutiny.

Seizing this rare chance, everyone perked up, determined to dig up some juicy details about Jiang Banxia.

After all the main cast members introduced themselves and engaged in brief interactions with the host, the long-awaited Q&A session finally began.

The first journalist to be called upon wasted no time dropping a bombshell: “I’d like to ask since Miss Xu and Miss Jiang are childhood friends, longtime classmates, and close companions, how did you feel when you discovered you nearly became the brother-in-law of your beloved ‘white moonlight,’ Miss Jiang?”

Xu Chun: “…” How bold!

That was centuries ago!

She maintained a brave smile, sticking to her previous explanation from the dating show: “That person wasn’t me. The Xu Chun who dated Yu Sui’an has long been dead.”

The journalist immediately gave her a knowing, sympathetic look that made Xu Chun’s eyelid twitch. She wanted to snap, you understand nothing!

“Then what about you, Miss Jiang?” another reporter interjected. “Do you regret not being brave enough to confess your feelings back then, causing you to miss your chance with her?”

Not just the audience, but even Xu Chun instinctively held her breath as she turned to look at Jiang Banxia.

Jiang Banxia’s expression remained unchanged as she smiled faintly. “I won’t answer any personal questions unrelated to the drama. My apologies.”

To say she didn’t regret it would be a lie. She had fantasized countless times about what might have been if she had taken the initiative back then. But after a moment of clarity, she understood: there were no what-ifs.

At that time, Xu Chun was still engaged to Jiang Zhaolie. Jiang Banxia couldn’t bring herself to interfere in someone else’s relationship, even if neither party had any real feelings for each other.

Even if she had spoken up, Xu Chun would never have accepted her. Xu Chun had her own principles, she would never entertain ambiguity or entanglement with Jiang Banxia while still betrothed to Jiang Zhaolie.

So keeping her vague affection hidden had been the best outcome for both of them.

They knew each other too well their temperaments, their values. From beginning to end, there had never been room for hypotheticals.

And even if there had, it would only have ended in tragedy.

The journalist looked disappointed, but given Jiang Banxia’s status, he couldn’t push further. He shifted topics instead, posing another prepared question: “Then I’d like to ask Miss Xu, what are your thoughts on the rumors circulating online about your alleged affairs with several high-profile figures outside the industry, including those with the surnames Zheng, Zhao, and Qin?”

Her thoughts?

Xu Chun arched a brow and answered without hesitation, confidence outweighing justification: “Of course, we’re one big, happy family.”

Not just the journalists even Jiang Banxia couldn’t help but glance at her. “…”

Keep spinning your nonsense.

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