Transmigrated as the Villainess’s Vicious Fake Stepmother - Chapter 11

Chu Qian steadied herself behind the door before turning to press her eye to the peephole.

No one was outside.

She opened the door with care and glanced into the hallway. It was empty. Zhan Se must have gone.

Given Zhan Se’s pride and arrogance, she would never lower herself to come pleading. It was probably the will that had driven her into this situation.

Thinking about that maddening will made Chu Qian want to curse. Even in death, Zhan Mingchen refused to release her. What kind of absurd will was this? Did he intend to infuriate his daughter, or was he trying to use his daughter as a tool for revenge against her?

In any case, she could not remain in this apartment. She needed to move to the teachers’ dormitory at the school as soon as she could.

She shut the door, washed her hands and sat down for breakfast.

Perhaps it was because she had just been startled by Zhan Se or because this might be her last meal here that Chu Qian ate with unusual focus. She did not leave even a single grain of rice.

Afterward she washed the pots and dishes, placed them in the cupboard, picked up the large red suitcase along with the trash bag, and stepped outside.

She set the key beneath the potted evergreen by the door, sent a message to the landlord, and pulled her suitcase toward the school dormitory.

…

At the entrance of the residential complex, Zhan Se leaned against the wall of a small shop, idly playing with her phone. She looked up and noticed a slender woman struggling to lift a suitcase onto a bus.

Her eyebrow lifted slightly.

She hailed a taxi and got in, telling the driver, “Follow that bus ahead.”

She handed a red bill to the driver. His eyes lit up and he grinned broadly, unconcerned by her unfriendly tone. He tucked the bill into his pocket and pressed the accelerator to catch up.

The taxi followed the number 13 bus all the way to Jin Chuan High School.

When Chu Qian stepped off the bus and walked toward the Culinary School, Zhan Se realized she had been working there the entire time, just two streets from their own school.

That meant when Su Jianing had brought thugs to cause trouble the other day, it had not been because Chu Qian was tailing her. It had been a coincidence.

Zhan Se’s brow furrowed.

She told the driver to stop, got out, and trailed Chu Qian toward the Culinary School.

This institution was a well-known chain in the northern city. Securing a job there was difficult and demanded a high level of professional expertise. Anyone wanting to teach culinary arts needed outstanding cooking skills.

From the edge of the street, Zhan Se watched as Chu Qian greeted the security guard in a familiar manner, refused his offer of help, and wheeled her large suitcase toward the dormitory.

A sense of puzzlement settled over her.

In her memory, when her father was still alive, Chu Qian had been nothing more than a gold-digger with a pretty face and no real ability. She spent her days spending money and chasing luxury brands, knowing nothing about work or life skills. Her mind was like a worn-out ball, empty inside and covered only by a pretty shell.

Yet after her father’s death, Chu Qian no longer seemed like such a fool.

Zhan Se recalled the dishes served at the seventh-night memorial, the way Chu Qian had handled a kitchen knife the other night, and the meal she had prepared at the hospital yesterday. She had not tasted them, but from the presentation alone, it was clear Chu Qian could cook, and cook very well.

Adding to the mystery, since leaving the Zhan family home, Chu Qian had not worn any luxury brands.

A woman who had been accustomed to wearing designer clothes and relying on men had suddenly changed within a short time into someone who lived frugally, worked for a living and depended on her own effort. That did not seem realistic.

Zhan Se’s eyes shone with deeper interest.

“Chu Qian, how many secrets are you hiding? Which one is truly you?”

She gave a brief laugh, turned to leave and, before walking away, called Li Zongyi.

“Uncle Li, I remember my father once had connections with the chairman of Dong Fang Hong when he was alive. Do you know him?”

“Hm?” Li Zongyi was busy. Hearing her question made him pause, unsure why she was asking.

“I know him. Why?”

Zhan Se’s lips curved into a faintly wicked smile.

“It is nothing serious. I simply want to ask you to have the chairman dismiss someone.”

Li Zongyi: “…”

After the call, Zhan Se hailed another taxi. Before getting in, she glanced at the Dong Fang Hong sign and gave a quiet laugh.

“Chu Qian, I will wait for you to come to me.”

…

Chu Qian finally hauled her suitcase to the fourth floor. When she stood at the dormitory door, an unexpected shiver ran through her.

She could not explain it, but a chill slid down her back.

She shook it off. You are overthinking. There is no way Zhan Se could find you here in the staff dormitory.

Trying to reassure herself, she pushed the door open. Her eyes lit up at once at the sight of the brand-new dormitory. The living conditions were much better than she had imagined.

With relief and happiness, she carried her luggage inside.

She had avoided living in the dormitory before because the building accommodated both men and women. It had six floors, with the top three for female teachers and the bottom three for male teachers.

Chu Qian was well-liked at school, yet her striking beauty drew unwanted attention. Within three days of starting work, a male teacher from the dormitory had begun pursuing her.

To avoid such trouble, she had chosen to rent an apartment outside.

Now that Zhan Se had found her, she would rather risk some nuisance than put her life in danger.

She also believed that someone she had rejected repeatedly would not continue to pester her so shamelessly.

After unpacking, she settled comfortably on the new bed.

The single dormitory was small, about forty square meters, with a tiny kitchen, a small dining area just large enough for a table, and a bedroom. The sunlight was abundant, and being on the fourth floor made it a comfortable height, neither too high nor too low.

She rolled across the bed in contentment.

A few minutes later it was already noon.

The move had left her tired, and she was accustomed to eating three regular meals. She decided to visit the small school market to buy ingredients for lunch.

When she reached the ground floor, she came face-to-face with someone she disliked.

She turned away at once, intending to leave.

The man quickly caught up.

“Teacher Chu~”

Chu Qian pretended not to hear, yet he stepped closer and caught her wrist.

Startled, she shook his hand off and stepped back.

Her eyes widened as she looked at Chen Xuqing. Her voice turned cold. “Teacher Chen, please show some respect.”

He did not take offense. His thick skin showed in the roguish grin on his face. “Teacher Chu, I meant no harm. You do not need to act as if you have seen a ghost when you see me. I just want to invite you to a meal. You have just moved in, so why not celebrate together?”

Her mind churned with irritation. Celebrate, my foot. Eat with a creep like you and I would throw up last night’s dinner right in your face.

“No, thank you. Moving was tiring and I just want to rest.”

Without giving him a chance to answer, she turned to leave.

He followed with a smile. “If you are too tired, then let me cook for you. I developed a new dish two days ago and had planned to invite you to try it, but you left work too quickly that day.”

Of course I left quickly. Otherwise, you would have latched on to me again.

Her anger rose.

“No, thank you. I do not eat food that does not suit my taste.”

She walked faster, but he still followed. Spotting the director nearby, she quickly hurried over and took her arm.

“Director, have you eaten? Let us have lunch together.”

The director was an older, strict woman who disliked men like Chen Xuqing. As expected, the moment he saw Director Ji, he turned and walked away.

Chu Qian let out a quiet breath of relief.

Director Ji understood that Chu Qian was using her as a shield, yet she said nothing. She looked at her with some difficulty and said, “Teacher Chu, I have something to discuss with you.”

“What is it?” Chu Qian asked, her smile warm.

Director Ji hesitated. Teacher Chu was beautiful, her cooking skills were exceptional, and in just one month she had attracted many new students, proving her professional ability. In less than three months, she would surely become a star instructor at Dong Fang Hong. She could not understand why the higher-ups would want to dismiss such a capable teacher.

She did not know how to put it into words.

Noticing her expression, Chu Qian’s smile faded. She pressed her lips together and asked again, “Director Ji, is it something you find difficult to say? It is all right. Please just tell me.”

She kept a calm expression on the surface, though tension tightened in her chest.

Director Ji studied her for a long moment before letting out a sigh. “Xiao Chu, did you offend someone? Otherwise, why would the senior leaders instruct the principal to have you… to have you…”

She could not bring herself to say the word “fired.”

Chu Qian understood at once.

Her mind went to Zhan Se’s parting words, “You will agree.”

Her hands curled into fists. So this was where Zhan Se had been waiting for her?

A wave of heat and anger rushed to her head, yet when she saw Director Ji’s troubled expression, she forced herself to stay calm.

She pressed her lips together. “I understand.”

She gave a slight nod and turned toward the dormitory.

Director Ji watched her go, her heart aching. “Ai, Xiao Chu…”

Chu Qian turned back with a reassuring smile. “I am fine. Do not worry.”

As soon as she turned away, tears slipped down her cheeks.

Her palms throbbed from how tightly she had clenched them, yet that pain was nothing compared to the suffocating sense of injustice in her chest.

She walked slowly up the stairs, entered the dormitory and began to pack her belongings.

Her gaze settled on the small bed facing south. Sunlight streamed in, warming the bedding until it looked soft and inviting.

Her heart tightened.

Only half an hour ago she had been lying there, believing she had finally escaped Zhan Se and everything else, ready to live in peace.

Now, half an hour later, her job was gone.

She had worked at the Culinary School for only a month, still in her probation period, and already she had to leave, all because of a single sentence from that woman.

Why?

She had already given up any right to the inheritance.

She had already walked away from the Zhan family.

Why would she still not let her go?

She was an ordinary person with no grand ambition to change her fate. All she wanted in this strange journey was a safe place to live, to survive, and one day find a trustworthy man to spend her life with.

Why was that so difficult?

With tears in her eyes, she carried her suitcase downstairs.

Her phone buzzed with a WeChat voice message.

When she saw the black profile picture flashing on the screen, she gritted her teeth and swiped to answer.

“Zhan Se, what is wrong with you? Do you think it is amusing to toy with me like this? You just want to force me to live with you, is that it? Fine, just you wait. I will come right now. If I do not drive you mad and make your life miserable, I will take your surname.”