Transmigrated as the Villainess’s Vicious Fake Stepmother - Chapter 10

The atmosphere in the café grew tense. Li Zongyi, a man experienced in many negotiations, could not bring himself to meet the young girl’s gaze. Feeling uneasy, he adjusted his glasses.

“Miss Zhan, Mr. Zhan had his reasons for this arrangement. My advice is that you follow his instructions, otherwise you may lose more than you gain. In time, you might even notice something good about Miss Chu.”

Zhan Se gave a cold laugh, and the sharp glint in her eyes seemed like blades ready to strike down Chu Qian.

“I think the only thing I would do during that time is find a way to kill her.”

Li Zongyi rubbed his forehead. “That will not work. If Miss Chu dies unexpectedly within three years, you will receive nothing.”

Zhan Se remained silent.

“Mr. Zhan also stated in his will that if you agree, I will manage the distribution of your property and arrange for a financial management company to oversee it during this period. For the next three years, you will not need to worry about anything and can focus on your studies. If you wish to manage the company, review the accounts, or learn its operations, you may take over at any time with full authority.”

Zhan Se bit down hard, saying nothing.

Li Zongyi noticed a flicker of hesitation in her eyes. He placed another document before her.

“Miss Zhan, please sign.”

The moment mirrored the night when Zhan Se had forced Chu Qian to sign the transfer agreement.

Now, the situation had reversed.

Zhan Se had believed she had removed Chu Qian for good, yet her father’s death had turned matters against her, leaving that woman well protected.

She could not understand it. She disliked it, yet she was powerless.

She knew her father had arranged everything with precision before his death. The reason Li Zongyi had stayed away for more than a month was to teach her a lesson.

Without her father, she was nothing. Her relatives would turn against her, and the people she had trusted would abandon her.

A month of isolation had forced her to grow up quickly. She now understood that if she gave up everything before her, survival would be difficult.

She had no choice but to sign.

She was Zhan Mingchen’s daughter, carrying the wolf blood of the Zhan family. Yet she could not match her father, the old wolf. She could not overcome his far-sighted planning.

Zhan Se clenched her palm, picked up the pen, and signed her name before tossing the agreement back to Li Zongyi.

“That woman will never let me take care of her, and I will not do it.”

Li Zongyi accepted the agreement with a calm smile. “Do not worry. If necessary, I will assist you.”

Zhan Se stayed silent.

Why did it feel as if Chu Qian was about to face serious trouble?

…

Chu Qian returned home still seething. Zhou Liangyu had already gone, and the spotless, empty house left her with a faint sense of loneliness.

She prepared a simple meal for herself and, once she had eaten, began searching through rental listings.

Her luck seemed poor. She searched for a long time without finding anything suitable. Each time she found one that seemed right, it was marked as rented just as she was about to call.

It felt as if fate itself were working against her.

She had no idea she was already being targeted by Li Zongyi and Zhan Se. Experts working for Li Zongyi hacked her browsing history and secured the rentals before she could act.

As she watched Li Zongyi work, Zhan Se felt a quiet sense of satisfaction.

She pictured Chu Qian on the verge of breaking down.

Recalling the woman’s furious face that morning, Zhan Se thought living together in the future might not be boring.

She disliked the woman, and the woman most likely disliked her as well.

Who would trouble the other remained to be seen.

At that moment, Chu Qian abandoned her search, thinking there was little chance of finding a suitable place within the next two days.

Then she remembered that her workplace might have staff dormitories.

Her eyes brightened and she quickly made a call.

Her luck improved. There was one room left.

After confirming, she packed her belongings with eagerness. She owned few things, so it took little time. She planned to move the next morning, clean her current place on Sunday, and hand it back to the landlord.

Once her suitcase was ready, she went out for groceries, made pasta for herself, poured a glass of red wine, and posted a photo on her social media.

[Accommodation problem solved. Happy (^▽^)]

…

After leaving the café, Zhan Se went to a restaurant for porridge and took another serving to bring home.

Once she finished eating and took her medicine, she wrapped a blanket around her stomach and sat on the sofa, thinking about Uncle Li’s words.

According to the will, she would only receive the inheritance if she took good care of Chu Qian.

The best way to do this was for them to live together.

Finding another place was now unrealistic for Chu Qian, and she had to move before Monday. She was likely furious already.

It seemed the perfect moment to invite her back.

Zhan Se thought that sending her a message to return might make the woman grateful.

However, when she opened her social media, she saw the post.

The pasta looked delicious, and the glass of red wine beside it showed that Chu Qian still knew how to enjoy life.

But the accommodation problem was solved?

Zhan Se frowned and sent a screenshot to Li Zongyi.

He was surprised as well. This woman was truly difficult to deal with and acted quickly.

[What now?] Zhan Se typed.

[You will have to go to her and bring her back to live with you.] Li Zongyi replied.

[Impossible.] Zhan Se responded without hesitation.

Go and ask that woman to return?

Not a chance.

Then Li Zongyi’s next message appeared.

It was an image of the will.

With it came an address at Yulan Road in Xingfu Garden, Building 4, Unit 601.

Zhan Se’s brow twitched and she tossed her phone aside in frustration.

…

The next morning, Chu Qian rose early. When she opened the window, cool air rushed in and the September morning chill cleared her head.

She went to the kitchen to make porridge and left it to simmer while she washed up and tidied the house.

When the cleaning was done, she took out the trash. By the time she returned, the porridge was ready. She ate her meal and got ready to leave.

As she opened the door, she saw a tall, slender girl standing outside. The girl wore the same light gray sweater from the day before, paired with light blue jeans and white sneakers marked with a few spots of mud.

She stood with her back turned, looking at her phone.

Chu Qian’s expression shifted. She was about to step back inside when the girl turned around.

Their eyes met.

Chu Qian quickly stepped back and tried to close the door, but the other girl caught the handle and stopped it from shutting.

“Let go!”

“No.”

Chu Qian found it incredible that someone could make her want to shout in frustration so early in the morning.

She tried to close the door but failed. She wondered how the girl still had such strength after climbing six floors when she had been hospitalized only the day before.

With clear impatience, Chu Qian said, “Miss Zhan, what do you want? I returned the inheritance and left. Why will you not let this go?”

“No reason.”

Zhan Se lifted her gaze in a lazy manner, her expression filled with disdain.

Chu Qian almost threw the trash bag in her hand at her.

“If there is no reason, then what is this? We dislike each other, so would it not be better to see less of one another?”

“I would, but my father will not allow it.”

Rolling her eyes, Chu Qian thought Zhan Se was adept at using a dead man as an excuse.

She then noticed the girl raising her phone to display the screen. It showed an image with the familiar title “Will,” identical to the one she had seen before.

After quickly scanning the content, she heard Zhan Se’s cold voice beside her say, “According to the will, for three years we must live together, and I must take good care of you.”

A shiver ran through Chu Qian.

“I think not. I live well on my own and do not need you troubling yourself.”

She had just escaped, yet now she was expected to live with her for another three years.

She feared Zhan Se might devour her alive.

What was wrong with that old man Zhan? Was this meant as protection or punishment?

It was no wonder that in the original story, Zhan Se had wanted to tear the original owner apart before her death.

It seemed the old man had always sided with the original owner, leaving his daughter with no way out.

If Zhan Se learned of this, she would likely despise the original owner even more.

Chu Qian felt truly unlucky. If she accepted the inheritance and left, she would be hated. If she refused, she would still be forced to live under the same roof with the demon for three years.

Either way, her fate seemed sealed.

“That is not possible. This is my father’s wish. You know very well that if I do not receive the inheritance, you will not have a good life either.”

Zhan Se smiled, her gaze sweeping over Chu Qian.

A chill spread through Chu Qian’s body as her mind filled with vivid images of a miserable death, where she was torn apart, skinned, chopped into pieces, and fed to dogs.

“This has nothing to do with me. I do not want the money, and I do not want to live with you.” She seized the moment to pry Zhan Se’s hand off the door and slammed it shut.

Leaning against the door, Chu Qian felt her heart pounding.

Outside, Zhan Se narrowed her eyes at the closed door and spoke with quiet amusement. “You will agree.”