Transmigrated as the Villainess’s Vicious Fake Stepmother - Chapter 14

Zhan Se stayed quiet.

When Zhan Se looked at her without any change in expression, Chu Qian felt no discomfort. She lifted her hand, shaking the skewer of glossy, perfectly grilled meat, and smiled as she introduced it. “This is pork belly I chose with care. I brushed it with my own meat sauce that I simmered for half an hour and sprinkled white sesame seeds on top. It is absolutely delicious. Miss Zhan, would you like one?”

She moved the skewer toward Zhan Se. Even from three or four meters away, the aroma seemed to drift to her.

Before Zhan Se could answer, Chu Qian appeared to remember something. She pulled the skewer back and said, “Oh, sorry. I forgot you have a fever and gastritis. You cannot eat this.”

Narrowing her eyes with a smile, she put the meat back into her mouth and sighed in satisfaction.

“Top grade pork belly is truly irresistible when grilled. Ah, so satisfying.”

Zhan Se remained silent. This woman is definitely doing it on purpose. If she is not, then I will take her surname.

She pressed her lips together, turned away, and sat on the sofa in the living room without looking back.

Chu Qian raised an eyebrow and carried her skewer to the dining table. She set it on the plate she had prepared and opened the pot.

A few minutes later, the broth began to boil, and the tempting aroma grew even stronger. The scent filled the dining area and drifted toward the living room.

Even with her nose blocked from a cold and fever, Zhan Se could still smell the maddeningly enticing fragrance.

Chu Qian leaned down, took a deep breath, and sighed. “This Sichuan spicy hotpot base is just perfect. First, a bit of pork belly, then some fresh beef. Chrysanthemum greens are essential. Handmade beef balls, fish, and lettuce. Add some white radish too.”

She announced each item before placing it into the pot. Once they began cooking, the scent spread further.

Zhan Se had been working on problems on her phone, but she could not focus on a single line. Her nose was filled with the rich aroma, and her stomach growled louder. Irritated, she closed the page and began urging her delivery order.

Chu Qian glanced over and saw the younger girl busy with her phone. She smiled. “Oh, you are hungry, are you?”

She took the fresh beef from the pot, placed it in her bowl, dipped it in sauce, and took a bite. Her lips closed delicately, and the taste filled her mouth.

“If you do not mind, why not come and have a little? I can cook some vegetables for you.” She lifted an eyebrow at Zhan Se, clearly waiting for her to give in.

Zhan Se gave only a cold snort and kept urging her delivery.

Chu Qian felt no sense of defeat. She wanted to keep Zhan Se waiting and, since she was not the one tormented by the food’s aroma, she could take pleasure in it. To her, this was even more satisfying than eating hotpot.

Ten minutes later, the doorbell rang. Zhan Se let out a breath of relief and went to fetch her congee.

Brought up with good manners, she knew that meals must be eaten at the dining table. She had no choice but to sit across from Chu Qian, separated by that fragrant hotpot base and a table half covered in ingredients.

Zhan Se pressed her lips together and opened her congee. At the same time, Chu Qian used her chopsticks to pick up a piece of pork belly.

She glanced at Zhan Se spooning congee into her mouth and sighed. “These days, takeout is mostly made by little street stalls. They might have nice packaging, but the congee is often cooked long before, and who knows if the rice was even washed properly. In the end, the customer never truly knows.”

Zhan Se froze, the spoon still halfway to her lips.

Pretending not to notice, Chu Qian took a bite of pork belly and began cooking potato slices. She spoke again in a light tone. “Even if the place claims to be a private kitchen, the chef may take shortcuts. They might add MSG or other unhealthy seasonings. Sick people think they are eating fragrant and nourishing chicken congee, yet it is often just store-bought soup powder boiled with the congee, topped with a few chicken shreds from who knows when, and sprinkled with coriander.”

Zhan Se’s hand trembled.

Chu Qian still acted as if she saw nothing. She even put on an exaggeratedly apologetic expression. “Oh, sorry. I was only speaking from experience. This is my line of work. But I am sure, Miss Zhan, that you did not order from one of those fake private kitchens. You must have chosen something truly fresh and nutritious, cooked by the owner personally.”

Zhan Se wanted to dump the congee over the other woman’s face. Between the hotpot and grilled meat, the plain congee felt even more tasteless.

She stood, carried the congee to the trash bin, and threw it away. After pouring herself some hot water, she went upstairs.

Chu Qian watched her leave, humming softly. She returned to her feast with an even better mood after irritating Zhan Se.

Upstairs, Zhan Se felt her stomach ache. She had been hungry earlier, but after Chu Qian’s interference, she lost all appetite. Once she washed up, she lay in bed and tried to sleep.

When Chu Qian finished her meal and cleared the table, she hummed as she went upstairs. She expected Zhan Se to be studying in the second-floor study, yet the open door showed the room was empty. On the third floor, the door opposite hers was closed.

Chu Qian stomped loudly in front of it before returning to her own room. She felt pleased to have outdone Zhan Se that day.

After showering and changing into a clean robe, she towel-dried her hair with one hand and opened a movie on her laptop with the other. She projected it onto the wall and turned the sound up.

It was a science fiction film with explosive audio effects, made even more powerful by the speakers and projector. Chu Qian sat back in bed, enjoying herself.

The noise made Zhan Se want to kill her. Her stomach hurt, she felt chilled and weak, and she had no strength. She pushed in her earplugs and tried to sleep, yet the noise continued.

She pulled the blanket over her head.

When Chu Qian finished the movie, she saw it was already nine thirty. She lowered the volume until only she could hear it. She had been loud on purpose yet believed in knowing when to stop. Normally, she was not the type to disturb others, but today she had done it solely to irritate Zhan Se.

Zhan Se was still just a minor, newly in her second year of high school, and an orphan who had suddenly lost her family. She could be ruthless, but she was not yet cruel enough to wish someone dead.

That morning when Director Ji told her she was to be expelled, Chu Qian had felt crushed. It was her livelihood and her passion, and Zhan Se had ended it without hesitation. She had been furious, yet she knew that if she kept fighting, they would both be ruined.

Chu Qian sighed, turned off the lights, and played on her phone before sleeping.

In the middle of the night, Chu Qian woke up thirsty. The hotpot and grilled meat had left her parched. Her bedside cup was empty, so she switched on the light and went downstairs with it.

When she opened her door, she saw the door across the hall was ajar. She paused and then heard clattering from downstairs.

She hurried downstairs and saw a thin figure leaning weakly against the kitchen counter.

Zhan Se?

Chu Qian pressed her lips together. From where she stood, Zhan Se appeared extremely thin, her height making her seem even more stretched out. Her stick-like legs in loose pants revealed the outline of her kneecaps, and her waist could not be more than a span wide. She seemed to have almost no flesh on her at all.

Chu Qian descended a few more steps, intending to fetch her water and leave. As she reached the first floor, the figure swayed. Startled, she ran forward.

With a loud crash, the thin girl began to fall. Chu Qian caught her just in time. If she had been a moment slower, the girl would have hit the floor hard.

I am such a coward, Chu Qian thought. I swore I would let this brat suffer, yet here I am catching her. I should have just let her fall.

She placed Zhan Se on a chair in the dining room and was about to leave when she noticed the sweat on the girl’s forehead. Reaching out, she touched it.

It was burning hot.