After Transmigrating into a Novel, I Became the Female Lead's Stepmother - Chapter 89

Xu Chun’s intention to avoid Jiang Zhaolie was obvious. In the blink of an eye, she rushed to He Qingli’s side, standing with her as they both stared at Fu Xin in the hospital room, silently praying for her swift recovery.

Jiang Zhaolie’s gaze locked onto Xu Chun’s retreating figure, her eyes dimming slightly as an unmistakable flicker of disappointment crossed them.

Even now, was she still unwilling to forgive her?

Had she not done enough? Had her efforts to make amends fallen short? Or perhaps, the way she had tried to win her affection had always been wrong? Otherwise, even a stone should have warmed by now.

Yet Xu Chun remained indifferent, even disdainful her aversion painfully clear.

Jiang Zhaolie didn’t understand. Despite racking her brain, she couldn’t figure out where she was still lacking. Romance had never been her strong suit, and now, no matter how hard she thought, the answer eluded her.

With a quiet sigh, she pushed aside these tangled thoughts and stepped back, turning to the doctors to inquire about Fu Xin’s condition.

After all, they had appeared on a variety show together by extension, they were colleagues. To stand by and do nothing would go against the principles of the Qin Corporation. If word got out, it would reflect poorly not just on the company, but on Xu Chun, He Qingli, and even herself.

So, whether for personal or professional reasons, Fu Xin had to wake up.

Only after Jiang Zhaolie left did the burning weight of her gaze finally fade from Xu Chun’s back. She stared blankly at Fu Xin, expressionless. He Qingli glanced at her, wanting to ask something, but grief weighed too heavily on her nothing unrelated to Fu Xin could rouse her spirits or give her strength.

After an internal struggle, He Qingli ultimately said nothing.

Fu Xin’s status was special, and with so many eyes watching her condition, the hospital had quickly assembled an emergency medical team. He Qingli watched as the doctors, faces grave, examined Fu Xin tubes running all over her body their expressions suggesting an extremely difficult case. Unable to bear it any longer, she excused herself to the restroom for a brief escape.

Xu Chun instinctively moved to follow, but as she rose, she seemed to sense something and quietly sat back down. “Alright, I’ll keep watch here for you.”

He Qingli forced a faint, composed smile. “Thank you.”

Fu Xin remained unconscious for several days. During that time, Xu Chun stayed by He Qingli’s side whenever she wasn’t working. About a week later, deep in the night, the woman in the bed finally stirred her eyelids fluttering faintly.

Jiang Zhaolie, who had been staring at her laptop screen, suddenly looked up as if sensing something. She immediately woke He Qingli, who had been resting beside the bed. Still groggy, He Qingli didn’t fully grasp the situation until Fu Xin’s fingers trembled slightly, weakly curling around hers.

In an instant, He Qingli jolted upright, eyes reddening as she choked out, voice thick with emotion, “You’re awake.”

Fu Xin managed a weak nod, her voice barely a whisper. “Mm.”

He Qingli’s eyes instantly reddened, tears that had been suppressed for so long quickly welling up. Gazing tenderly at Fu Xin’s pale face with the joy of having regained what was lost, she kept repeating, “It’s good that you’re awake, it’s good that you’re awake.”

Jiang Zhaolie tactfully exited the hospital room and called the doctor on duty. After a thorough examination, the doctors unanimously confirmed that Fu Xin was out of danger and would fully recover with some additional rest in the hospital. Upon hearing this, He Qingli’s tense nerves relaxed only for her to completely lose consciousness the next second.

The room instantly descended into chaos again. When Xu Chun received the news and hurried over, she was about to ask Jiang Zhaolie something, but an inadvertent glance caught the intimate scene between the two.

Xu Chun swallowed her words, quietly observing them for a long moment before finally withdrawing her gaze with a relieved sigh once she confirmed everything was alright.

Only when the couple inside had finished their affectionate moment did Xu Chun gently knock and enter. She briefly said, “The news of Xiao Fu regaining consciousness hasn’t been announced yet. You can make it public whenever you feel the time is right.”

Xu Chun’s words instantly snapped He Qingli back to reality.

Over the past week, her parents had indeed sent messages and called, but in her anger, she had not only refused to answer but even blocked them. Later, the so-called blind date candidate also called, attempting to comfort her to showcase his magnanimity and tolerance. However, He Qingli found his hypocritical act utterly nauseating and simply turned off her phone, cutting off all contact with the outside world.

Thanks to Qin Yao’s covert protection, neither He Qingli nor Fu Xin had been disturbed by anyone during this period.

But Qin Yao could only shield them temporarily. Eventually, they would have to face certain challenges head-on. The time before Fu Xin’s recovery was made public would be her best window for action.

In just a moment, He Qingli had already formulated countless solutions and contingency plans in her mind.

She looked up, first at Jiang Zhaolie, then somewhat sheepishly at Xu Chun. “Sister Xu Chun, I hope you can help me later.”

“No problem,” Xu Chun nodded. “Just let me know whatever I can do.”

With her assurance, He Qingli felt at ease.

After briefly discussing their plans, Xu Chun and Jiang Zhaolie left the hospital together though they kept the security personnel stationed there, just in case.

On the way home, Xu Chun stared at the flood of comments on her Weibo asking about Fu Xin’s condition. After a moment of silence, she decisively closed the app.

Due to her persistent silence, some extremists had begun hurling abuse, while trolls seized the opportunity to stir trouble. If not for her currently airing drama and the popularity of her CP with Jiang Banxia which had many fans defending her in the comments her page would have been far worse.

But having come this far, Xu Chun no longer cared much about these people.

In this world, only those closest to her could ever shake her composure. As for these people they hadn’t even met or interacted with her before. Faced with such baseless malice, Xu Chun could only silently advise them in her heart to speak less ill and accumulate more virtue.

Xu Chun had been engrossed in her phone when Jiang Zhaolie couldn’t help stealing glances at her from the corner of her eye. Perhaps success had enhanced her beauty, but Jiang Zhaolie found the current Xu Chun breathtakingly gorgeous, her charm radiating from within.

She wasn’t wearing heavy makeup or dressed elaborately, yet every subtle expression of hers was mesmerizing, making it impossible to look away. Only now did Jiang Zhaolie finally realize what an incredible woman she’d lost because of Yu Sui’an.

Unfortunately, there were no second chances in life.

What started as furtive glances gradually became more brazen until Xu Chun frowned and raised an eyebrow in warning, “Keep staring and I’ll pluck your eyes out.”

Jiang Zhaolie snapped back to reality at her voice, her gaze immediately meeting Xu Chun’s amused yet indifferent eyes. Though devoid of any particular emotion, that look inexplicably filled Jiang Zhaolie with overwhelming shame, making all her actions seem utterly ridiculous.

She averted her eyes in near panic, murmuring in a low voice, “I’m sorry.”

Xu Chun ignored her, continuing to tap on her phone. The atmosphere in the car grew increasingly heavy and suffocating with her silence. Squirming in discomfort, Jiang Zhaolie eventually couldn’t resist explaining her past behavior. “I was wrong back then.”

“I know I caused you irreparable harm,” she paused before continuing, “But I still don’t understand why I trusted Yu Sui’an so blindly back then, why I was so convinced she was some helpless woman who needed my protection.”

“Even now, I can’t make sense of it.”

Cold by nature, even bordering on indifferent, how could someone like her, who’d been so determined to win Qin Yao’s approval, suddenly fall hopelessly in love with someone she’d just met? Jiang Zhaolie truly couldn’t comprehend it.

Yet the undeniable truth was that she’d thrown caution to the wind for Yu Sui’an, repeatedly breaking her own rules for her.

During that period, she’d hardly been herself.

And yet those absurd actions had undeniably been her own doing, a realization that filled Jiang Zhaolie with pain and confusion whenever she remembered.

Xu Chun understood Jiang Zhaolie’s implication that she’d been propelled by the invisible hand of fate’s plot, uncontrollably falling for Yu Sui’an and committing acts against her true will. But so what?

Some wounds could never be healed.

Even if she too had been helplessly pushed forward by the constraints of the plot.

After a long silence, Xu Chun finally spoke softly, “You should be saying these things to the Xu Chun of the past, the one who’s already dead.” She shrugged, “If she’d forgive you, then I have no objections.”

The Xu Chun from before? Jiang Zhaolie couldn’t help but taste bitterness on her tongue. Since Xu Chun kept insisting that the old Xu Chun was already dead, how could she even apologize to her?

Her words clearly meant she would never forgive Jiang Zhaolie in this lifetime.

Yet Jiang Zhaolie refused to give up. “What about the current Xu Chun then?” she asked, her burning gaze fixed on the fair-skinned, beautiful woman. “Will the present Xu Chun forgive me?”

Xu Chun frowned, looking at her with complicated emotions. “No respect for elders, calling me Xu Chun like that.” She narrowed her eyes slightly and declared righteously, “Jiang Zhaolie, I’m your stepmother now! If you keep shouting my name so casually, I’ll have to report you to your mother.”

Jiang Zhaolie was momentarily speechless, unable to respond for a long time.

Her continued refusal to answer directly meant she still wouldn’t forgive. Jiang Zhaolie lightly bit her tongue and never brought up the topic again after that.

No matter how abnormal her behavior had been, no matter that it wasn’t her true intention, in Xu Chun’s eyes, the harm she’d caused was ultimately irreparable.

So now, even if she suffered countless consequences, she could only endure them.

Seeing Qin Yao finally lifted Xu Chun’s mood that had been disturbed by Jiang Zhaolie. Qin Yao was like her anchor, no matter what Xu Chun faced outside, just seeing her would calm all her worries and anxieties.

She sat quietly on the wooden chair watching Qin Yao until Qin Yao closed her laptop, stood up, and pulled her toward the bedroom. “Let’s go to the room.”

Xu Chun immediately tensed up, clinging to the doorframe. “Isn’t this a bit too early, sis?” she hurriedly dissuaded. “Sis, your work is important! I can wait, it’s fine!”

Qin Yao turned back, lowered her gaze, and looked at her through narrowed eyes. “Is that so?”

“Of course,” Xu Chun nodded repeatedly like a pecking chick. “I’d be a dog if I lied.”

Since she said so, Qin Yao had no choice but to let her off for now, instead asking, “Were you worrying about unnecessary things again?”

Xu Chun was silent for a moment before admitting, “I was thinking about what choice Qingli will make later.” With such a major incident involving Fu Xin, reconciliation with her parents would be impossible. Though Xu Chun had only briefly met He Qingli’s parents, she knew they were the stubborn, unrelenting type.

This would put He Qingli in a difficult position.

Could she break free from her parents’ control and smoothly stay with Fu Xin? Xu Chun didn’t know. She only knew life meant daily necessities, meant countless possibilities, good and bad, all mercilessly rushing toward the couple.

“These aren’t things you need to worry about,” Qin Yao interrupted her thoughts. “They’re not children. Even if they were, they should bear the consequences of their own choices.”

Xu Chun snapped out of it and sighed inwardly. Perhaps because He Qingli was the first genuine kindness Xu Chun had felt since arriving here, combined with her being younger, Xu Chun couldn’t help but fuss over her like a mother hen.

In truth, she should have faith in He Qingli her loyal fan would surely be just as stubborn and unyielding as herself.

Having realized this, Xu Chun’s expression visibly relaxed. “I really was overthinking things.”

Qin Yao noticed her bright expression and gently patted her head. “You’ve been running around for them lately, it must be exhausting. Go take a bath and rest early.”

Xu Chun’s slightly haggard and weary appearance hadn’t escaped Qin Yao’s notice. She hadn’t stopped Xu Chun from handling everything personally before because she understood how important He Qingli was to her. But now that things were improving, Qin Yao’s dominant nature immediately reasserted itself.

Xu Chun opened her mouth, wanting to say she’d play for a while first, but when she met Qin Yao’s gaze, she silently swallowed her words and murmured, “Okay.”

She really had been quite tired recently, juggling work and hospital matters. Though Qin Yao and Jiang Zhaolie had helped, the constant anxiety had kept her on edge. Now that the tension had eased, exhaustion washed over her like a tidal wave, making her want to sleep for three days straight the moment her head hit the pillow.

Xu Chun obediently went to take a bath. When she came out, she saw Qin Yao, who had already secretly washed up in the outer room, now dressed in smoke-gray linen pajamas. Qin Yao was pretending to read a book by the bedside, wearing gold-rimmed glasses. Hearing the door open, she looked up and put the book down with an air of perfect innocence, explaining, “I just suddenly felt a bit sleepy.”

Xu Chun: “…” Yeah right.

When she didn’t move, Qin Yao simply got up and pulled her over. Xu Chun found herself tightly embraced. “It’s been so long since we’ve.” Qin Yao’s voice, filled with suggestive meaning that made hearts race, paused as delicate kisses trailed down the snow-white skin of Xu Chun’s neck before continuing, “done it.”

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