After Transmigrating into a Novel, I Became the Female Lead's Stepmother - Chapter 88

Upon hearing this, Xu Chun immediately turned and ran toward the entrance.

After a long moment of stunned silence, He Qingli’s unfocused gaze snapped back to reality when she saw Xu Chun’s figure growing smaller in the distance. Like a woman possessed, she sprinted after her.

Mr. He, watching his daughter lose composure over a woman, couldn’t help but frown. He raised his voice sharply, “Qingli!”

“Making such a scene in front of everyone is this how I raised you?!” Furious, he unleashed the commanding presence he had honed over years in power, trying once more to force He Qingli into submission. But this time, he miscalculated.

Hearing her father’s stern voice, He Qingli stopped in her tracks. Her nails dug deep into her palms as she fought to maintain her composure in front of the crowd and she succeeded. Taking a deep breath, she barely registered the pain as her nails broke skin. Slowly, she turned to face them. “Dad. Mom.”

Her gaze swept over the two impeccably dressed, seemingly kind middle-aged figures before her. Her slightly reddened eyes held a despairing smile. “I will never forgive you for this.”

With that, she ignored their reactions entirely and raced after Xu Chun, her heart frantic with urgency.

The moment she turned away, He Qingli’s tears overflowed, unstoppable. She bit her lip hard, refusing to let a single sob escape. Anger, fury, and overwhelming guilt surged within her.

If only she hadn’t told Fu Xin about being confined by her parents. If she hadn’t, Fu Xin wouldn’t have come looking for her, wouldn’t have gotten into an accident, wouldn’t be in mortal danger.

None of this would have happened if not for her.

If Fu Xin was unharmed, that would be one thing. But if she, He Qingli would never forgive herself. Struggling to hold back her tears, she stopped several meters from the accident site, too afraid to approach.

She wanted to run over and see how Fu Xin was, but now that the moment had come, she realized how cowardly she truly was, how spineless, like a gutless weakling. Clenching her fists, her vision blurred as the world around her faded. She didn’t deserve Fu Xin’s reckless devotion.

Her eyes and nose burned with pain, her throat so tight it felt like a vise, choking back any sound.

Frozen in place, He Qingli stood helplessly, her feet rooted to the ground. Only when her parents caught up did she snap back to reality, shoving them away violently. She glared at them with venom. “If anything happens to Fu Xin, I won’t live either!”

As her father stepped forward, intent on dragging her back into confinement, He Qingli let out a hollow laugh. “If you dare pull the same trick as yesterday, I’ll make sure the He family bloodline ends right here, today!”

Her father halted immediately, not daring to take another step.

Meanwhile, Xu Chun crouched beside the car, carefully assessing Fu Xin’s condition. She had been dragged beneath the vehicle and was now unconscious, the ground around her stained with horrifying amounts of blood. Xu Chun called Fu Xin’s name repeatedly, trying to rouse her, but there was no response. With each unanswered call, Xu Chun’s heart grew heavier.

She didn’t dare to move Fu Xin recklessly and could only wait for the ambulance to arrive.

Having broken free from her parents, He Qingli took careful, heavy steps toward Xu Chun, her lips trembling. “Sister Xu Chun, Fu Xin will be alright, won’t she?”

Xu Chun turned to look at the usually lively girl who had always been full of hope for the future and nodded. “Yes, she’ll be fine.”

Though the original novel hadn’t devoted much ink to He Qingli, the author never missed an opportunity to kick someone when they were down especially if misfortune befell those around Xu Chun. Since Xu Chun didn’t recall this scene in the original story, she thought uncertainly: Fu Xin should be fine.

Even so, the reassurance did little to ease the turmoil in Xu Chun’s heart.

Was Fu Xin’s accident just a coincidence, or had it been set in motion by the butterfly effect of her own actions? Xu Chun didn’t know—and she was afraid to find out.

Her heart pounded so violently that her head spun, the beats so fierce they threatened to burst from her chest.

Unconsciously, she swayed slightly but immediately steadied herself, refusing to let any sign of weakness show and further unsettle He Qingli’s already fragile resolve.

He Qingli’s gaze was fixed on the car, her eyes unfocused and distant. She rambled on and on, as if only by filling the silence could she convince herself, Fu Xin won’t die.

“Yesterday, I was so angry. I never imagined the parents who raised me could do something like this to me,” He Qingli murmured softly. “So I vented to her a little and told her I’d leave home today. We made a plan once I escaped, we’d buy plane tickets immediately and go abroad. Some quiet little country where no one knows us, where we could get married and grow old together.”

“I told her I was fine, so I asked her to stay home and pack our things while I figured out where we’d live. We were supposed to leave together.”

“But why couldn’t she just wait?” He Qingli choked out. “Why does she love me so much? So much that she couldn’t bear to be apart for even a little while? That she had to come see me?”

“If only she loved me just a little less.” Her voice broke, words failing her.

Xu Chun couldn’t help but pull her into an embrace. “This isn’t your fault, Qingli,” she murmured, gently stroking the girl’s back. “And it’s not Fu Xin’s fault either. There’s nothing wrong with loving someone.”

As if inspired by her words, He Qingli suddenly lifted her reddened eyes and glared at her cold, indifferent parents. “You’re right, it’s not my fault, and it’s not Fu Xin’s. It’s theirs! If not for them, how could Fu Xin have gotten hurt just across the street from my home?!”

Her resentful gaze bore into her parents, their expressions flickering with unease. She wanted to hurl curses at them, but when faced with the faces that had once been so kind and loving, her lips trembled and in the end, no words came.

The ambulance and fire truck arrived simultaneously. With the firefighters’ help, Fu Xin was quickly rescued from beneath the car by the doctors. Without a second thought, He Qingli followed them into the ambulance, with Xu Chun close behind. Moments later, the ambulance sped away with its siren wailing repeatedly.

He Qingli watched nervously as the doctors performed various emergency procedures on Fu Xin, her palms nearly bleeding from how tightly she clenched them.

Xu Chun’s gaze fell on Fu Xin’s blood-soaked body, her thoughts scattering uncontrollably. At this moment, she finally truly felt that fear, the fear of someone close to her, someone connected to her, meeting with an accident due to some irresistible force. The fear that all the people she cherished might leave her one by one right before her eyes.

Even more terrifying was the thought that everyone connected to her might meet with misfortune.

Her fists clenched unconsciously as an overwhelming, unbearable emotion surged uncontrollably in her chest.

She knew today’s incident with Fu Xin might just be an accident, but she couldn’t help thinking, what if it wasn’t? What if Fu Xin was just the beginning? What if the next accident happened to any of the other precious people in her life?

By the time the ambulance reached the hospital and Fu Xin was rushed into the emergency room, Xu Chun stood frozen in place, too afraid to approach. Only when someone tightly grasped her fingers did she turn her head to see Qin Yao’s deep-set eyes filled with concern. Unable to hold back any longer, she threw herself into Qin Yao’s arms, burying her face deeply against her chest.

Qin Yao comforted her softly in a tone Xu Chun had never heard before so gentle. “It’s going to be okay.”

“The doctor in charge is the hospital director. He’s snatched countless lives back from death’s grip this time won’t be any different.” Her voice was firm, carrying an inexplicable power that made one instinctively believe her.

Xu Chun gave an almost imperceptible nod. “Okay.”

Qin Yao pressed her lips together lightly before lifting Xu Chun’s face, her expression utterly serious. “Xu Chun, what happened today was just an accident. Whether it’s me, Banxia, your parents, or any of your other friends, we’ll all be fine.”

Qin Yao asked softly, “Don’t you believe me?”

“I do,” Xu Chun answered without hesitation. After holding Qin Yao’s gaze for a moment, she finally couldn’t help but voice her fears. “I’m just scared. Scared that everything I’ve worked so hard to gain might vanish like a mirage or a fleeting dream that in the blink of an eye, all of you might leave me.”

She was infinitely grateful for everything she had now, and she cherished it all the more because of that. Precisely for this reason, she couldn’t bear any unfavorable outcome.

Whether it was Qin Yao or anyone else, they all held equally important places in her life.

Losing any one of them was unimaginable.

“It won’t happen,” Qin Yao hugged her gently. “That kind of thing won’t happen. At the very least, I’ll do everything in my power to protect everyone you care about.”

“They won’t be harmed, and they won’t meet with accidents.”

Xu Chun couldn’t help but look up. At this moment, she didn’t know what to say to express her gratitude towards Qin Yao. The other woman had always been tolerant, indulgent, and so good to her that Xu Chun sometimes doubted if this was real.

She had never imagined someone could love her so generously accepting everything about her, deeply loving all the people she herself cherished.

Qin Yao was like a deity specially sent to save her.

Xu Chun’s throat tightened with emotion, momentarily speechless. Qin Yao glanced at He Qingli and said to Xu Chun, “Stay with her for now. I need to handle something.”

Xu Chun nodded instinctively, having already placed unconditional trust in Qin Yao from the bottom of her heart, ready to obey any request without question. She even thought that if Qin Yao someday asked her to carry explosives to blow something up, she’d probably follow those absurd orders without hesitation.

This mental image made Xu Chun chuckle quietly.

Loving someone is happiness, and being deeply loved is equally blissful. She felt fortunate that after escaping her original tragic romance novel fate, she could meet Qin Yao and be so profoundly drawn to her.

This person who captivated her so completely could only be Qin Yao, and no one else.

Had it been anyone different, she wouldn’t have fallen so quickly, completely bending her twenty-plus years of orientation.

After watching Qin Yao leave, Xu Chun slowly walked to He Qingli’s side. He Qingli mustered a weak smile before her thoughts uncontrollably drifted back to the glowing operation room lights, staring blankly.

The rescue operation lasted endlessly so long that Qin Yao returned after finishing her tasks, waited with them for a while, then had to leave repeatedly for work calls.

He Qingli had lost count of how many critical condition notices she’d signed. Her tears had long dried up, leaving only numb exhaustion.

Finally, in the early hours of the next morning, the operation room lights went dark. When the doctor emerged, He Qingli rushed forward, “Doctor, how’s Fu Xin?”

The doctor, looking weary, shook then nodded his head, “We’ve stabilized her for now.” Before He Qingli could feel relief, he continued, “But we can’t guarantee she’ll regain consciousness.”

He Qingli’s legs gave way as if all strength had drained from her body. She swayed dangerously had Xu Chun not caught her swiftly, she would have collapsed. Seeing her devastated state, Xu Chun felt the pain acutely, “She’ll be alright.”

Holding He Qingli gently, Xu Chun added with forced conviction, “With President Qin here, she’ll be fine.”

The mention of Qin Yao’s name seemed to revive He Qingli slightly. Grateful, she turned back, “Sister Xu Chun, thank you for staying with me. You haven’t eaten or rested in so long, maybe you should go home.” Her words were interrupted by Xu Chun, “Neither have you.”

He Qingli was momentarily speechless. Xu Chun gently patted her back. “President Qin has had food prepared all along. Now that she’s temporarily out of danger, you should eat something too.” Seeing He Qingli open her mouth to refuse, Xu Chun could only say, “If Xiao Fu suddenly wakes up and sees you like this, she’ll definitely feel terrible.”

“Come on,” Xu Chun said, pulling He Qingli to move aside.

Unable to resist, He Qingli relented, “I’ll eat after she’s moved to the ward.” She pressed her lips together. “I’ll stay right outside her room to eat.”

She couldn’t feel at ease unless she kept her eyes on Fu Xin every single moment.

Knowing this was the most compromise He Qingli could make, Xu Chun didn’t push further. “Then I’ll have the food brought outside the ward first and wait for you there.”

He Qingli gave a slight nod, her swollen eyes filled with complex emotions and gratitude as she watched Xu Chun’s retreating figure.

Since both Fu Xin and He Qingli were public figures in the entertainment industry and had previously been embroiled in dating rumors, they were constantly followed by reporters and paparazzi looking for big scoops. Thus, news of the incident had spread rapidly online immediately after it happened.

Though the full details remained unclear, netizens expressed their wishes for Fu Xin to recover quickly and regain consciousness.

Some netizens and fans refused to believe the news, thinking it was just a publicity stunt by He Qingli or Fu Xin to gain attention. But as videos and photos of Xu Chun and He Qingli arriving at the hospital circulated online, those who claimed it was a hoax quickly fell silent.

During this time, there was a period when no updates were released, leaving everyone anxiously holding their breath for Fu Xin.

While worried, people were also puzzled about what had caused Fu Xin’s misfortune. Later, as time passed, insiders revealed the truth, shocking netizens. They were both angered by the cold-blooded cruelty of He Qingli’s parents and saddened by the fate of a wealthy heiress being manipulated like a puppet.

Thus, in an era where exposed relationships usually led to fan backlash or even abandonment, everyone’s attitude toward this relationship surprisingly aligned in rare unity, as long as she could wake up safely, a little romance wasn’t a big deal.

True mutual love was rare in this world, let alone lasting happiness. Though most people had no desire for romance themselves, seeing their favorite idols or public figures find eternal happiness together was still a joyous and heartwarming thing.

Xu Chun, standing guard outside the ward, couldn’t help but sigh in relief after hearing the updates from the manager.

He Qingli had eaten a little just a few bites, like a cat’s appetite before refusing to eat more no matter how Xu Chun urged her. Left with no choice, Xu Chun handed her an energy bar with a slightly firm tone.

He Qingli glanced at her, pressed her lips together, and took it. Then her eyes immediately glued themselves back to Fu Xin’s unconscious form on the hospital bed, refusing to budge.

The sight pained Xu Chun. When no one was paying attention, she slipped away to the hospital rooftop. The cool wind brushed against her face like sharp fingernails, stinging slightly.

She gazed blankly at the overcast sky, her emotions at this moment indescribable and ineffable.

She had always believed herself to be strong, had always thought she was merely drifting through this world with a carefree, game-like attitude. But it wasn’t until yesterday that she realized she wasn’t.

Unbeknownst to her, she had already fully immersed herself in this world, to the point where she could no longer sever her ties with it. Here, even the most trivial matters could deeply affect her mood and thoughts.

Xu Chun lightly pressed her lips together, finding it somewhat amusing. She had thought herself emotionless, yet reality had delivered a harsh slap to her face.

Of course, she was no immortal who had severed all earthly desires, how could she possibly be devoid of emotions?

Perhaps from the very moment she first encountered the people of this world, there had been no escape for her.

Xu Chun tried to clear her mind, quietly letting the breeze caress her face and stir the turbulent emotions within her, remaining utterly still. Qin Yao leaned silently against the doorframe, her picturesque features fixed on Xu Chun’s delicate profile, never once interrupting.

It wasn’t until Xu Chun had vented her emotions, composed herself, and prepared to return to He Qingli that she noticed Qin Yao, who had been waiting quietly behind her for who knew how long. Flustered, she quickly stood up. “You, how?” She opened her mouth but found herself at a loss for words.

What other reason could Qin Yao have for being here? It was simply because she couldn’t find her and had grown worried.

Someone as perceptive as her must have guessed that Xu Chun needed time and space alone, which was why she had silently stood guard, waiting until Xu Chun had regained her composure. And now, in this moment of vulnerability, she was offering unwavering emotional support.

Unable to hold back, Xu Chun hurried over and embraced her tightly. A thousand words swirled in her chest, but in the end, all she managed was, “Sister, won’t staying here with me interfere with your work?”

“It won’t,” Qin Yao shook her head, then added, “But I do need to return to the office for a bit.”

She lowered her gaze to meet Xu Chun’s slightly reddened eyes. “I’ve asked Zhao Lie to come keep you company. If you need anything, just let her know.”

Xu Chun couldn’t help but smile. Qin Yao always considered everything for her, no matter the circumstances.

When Xu Chun saw Jiang Zhaolie, she felt an inexplicable awkwardness. The reason was simple, Jiang Zhaolie had changed so much lately. Gone was her former frivolous immaturity, replaced by a maturity and steadiness that bore a striking resemblance to Qin Yao’s composed and serious demeanor.

At times, Xu Chun could hardly connect the present Jiang Zhaolie with the person who had once been so blindly obstinate for Yu Sui’an’s sake.

Suddenly, it dawned on Xu Chun, she had been here for nearly two years now. Two years wasn’t particularly long, nor was it too short, but it was enough to change many things.

As she lost herself in these thoughts, Jiang Zhaolie noticed her gaze and walked over, casually remarking with practiced ease, “Mom, the hospital’s a bit chilly, why don’t you put on another layer?”

Xu Chun was utterly speechless at how naturally and affectionately she was being addressed. Just as she was about to refuse, He Qingli, who had been staring blankly at Fu Xin turned back with a subtle change in expression. Her slightly astonished eyes seemed to say, “After not seeing you for a while, you’ve all started role-playing?”

Xu Chun: “…” Tongue-tied and unable to defend herself.

In a final struggle, she insisted, “It’s her one-sided obsession.” Yes, that’s exactly how it was.

Hearing this, He Qingli’s gaze immediately shifted to Jiang Zhaolie. No surprise, just like Yu Sui’an, another pervert cut from the same cloth.

Reading the disdain in He Qingli’s eyes, Jiang Zhaolie choked up and couldn’t help but wonder had she not changed enough to make people stop viewing her through the same prejudiced lens as before?

After a moment of contemplation, she turned back to Xu Chun with a serious and determined look.

Xu Chun: “?” Don’t you dare do anything reckless.

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