After Transmigrating into a Redemption Novel as the Evil Stepmother - Chapter 1

The swaying light flickered as the sensations of suffocation and weightlessness receded. Ming Jiayue opened her eyes.

She was in a luxuriously decorated bedroom. Looking down, she saw a pile of “indescribable” items scattered across the bed.

Most importantly, there was another person in the room.

A girl who looked like a student was curled up on the other side of the bed, trembling violently. Her lips were bitten so hard they had bloomed into a magnificent, bruised crimson; tears shimmered in the corners of her eyes, threatening to fall.

Both of them were naked.

Ming Jiayue stole a glance, snapped her eyes away, and took two minutes to process the plot.

Her identity was a wealthy woman, 28 years old, married via a business alliance. Her relationship with her legal husband was purely for show, devoid of any affection.

Aside from shopping, her hobbies included clashing with her stepdaughter, Zhou An’an, and “sponsoring” impoverished female students.

The young girl in the room was Ji Shuangci, a high school senior she was sponsoring. She was also Zhou An’an’s tutor. The original owner of this body, driven by lust, had used threats and bribes to force Ji Shuangci to become her lover. Tonight was supposed to be the night she succeeded.

Ming Jiayue: System, get out here and explain. I, Ming Aotian, have always been a person of integrity!

System: Dear, this is already the most convenient character for completing tasks in this “indescribable” novel.

Indeed. Because she had saved a drowning child, Ming Jiayue had suffered brain damage from oxygen deprivation and fallen into a vegetative state. Only by completing the redemption tasks in this world—which possessed “shattered three-view” morals—could she wake up healthy in the real world.

This was a “one-versus-many” smut novel. The female lead, Ji Shuangci, had a gambling, abusive father and a seriously ill mother. Despite struggling to afford three meals a day, she insisted on her studies, working part-time to support her family while consistently ranking first in every exam.

In a normal novel, she’d be an inspirational protagonist. But here, her cold and resilient temperament attracted three perverted male leads. They harassed, humiliated, threatened, and forced her, vowing to crush her self-esteem and ruin her purity. Once she became their plaything, they would discard her.

The only reason this story had a “redemption” tag was that after being utterly broken, Ji Shuangci met her former student, Zhou An’an. Both having been hurt by men, they pitied and saved each other, eventually ending up together.

The most absurd part? To give the male leads an excuse to humiliate Ji Shuangci, the author arranged for Zhou An’an’s stepmother to force Ji Shuangci into being her lover first.

Before Ming Jiayue arrived, the original host was a wealthy woman with “heavy” tastes who enjoyed perverted variety. According to the original plot, Ji Shuangci would be tortured by her until she wished she were dead.

Ming Jiayue: ???

As a “moral role model,” how could she possibly force a young girl who had just turned eighteen?

There was a small walk-in closet in the bedroom. Ming Jiayue immediately went inside to find normal clothes. Naturally, there were no clothes for Ji Shuangci there, but remembering that the girl’s clothes had been shredded by the original host, Ming Jiayue grabbed two sets of brand-new items.

They would likely be too big, but they would have to do for now.

Faint light fell upon the girl’s soft hair. She stared toward the closet, knees pressed tightly together, slender white fingers interlaced. Her lips trembled uncontrollably from tension.

Ji Shuangci couldn’t see what was happening in the closet. She looked back at the strange tools on the bed; her flushed face grew hotter, stinging as if she were being slapped repeatedly.

It was shameful and humiliating.

Only after coming to this bedroom did Ji Shuangci learn that President Ming had some… strange hobbies.

She had a momentary urge to run, but she couldn’t. She needed money—a lot of money.

And currently, only President Ming could give it to her.

Ji Shuangci’s lips turned white from pressure. Hearing the constant rustling sounds, she wondered if President Ming felt the “variety” wasn’t enough and was preparing something else.

She simply closed her eyes in an act of escapism.

Until, a moment later, a voice as cool as the autumn wind blowing through plane trees rang out.

“Put some clothes on first.”

Ji Shuangci opened her eyes. Ming Jiayue was standing by the floor-to-ceiling window, having changed into a new silk robe. She stood by the light, long hair falling to her waist, her posture upright. She looked just as she did when they first met—elegant and powerful, needing no jewelry to command the room.

If it weren’t for…

Ji Shuangci lowered her gaze and obediently put the clothes on. They were clearly too large; the low collar exposed a wide expanse of pale skin which, under the ambiguous lighting, looked like a silent invitation.

Ji Shuangci didn’t know if this was some new form of “interest.” She didn’t dare adjust them, standing by the bed pretending to be calm.

“President Ming…”

Ming Jiayue turned around and flipped on the main lights, her face clearly exposed.

Their eyes met instantly. To the public, Ming Jiayue was a young female entrepreneur with a cold beauty. When she didn’t speak or show expression, she felt very distant.

Ji Shuangci’s gaze lingered on her face for a few seconds before she quickly looked down.

It was strange. Ming Jiayue’s eyes were currently clear—there was no sentiment, and certainly no lust.

Ji Shuangci’s heart hammered like a drum. Staring at the soft wool carpet, she felt so nervous she could hardly breathe.

Ming Jiayue watched her for a long time, then slowly walked to the desk and beckoned.

“Ji Shuangci, come sit.”

It was still that emotionless voice. Ji Shuangci’s heart skipped a beat. She looked up, fingers instinctively tightening, then walked over submissively.

Another moment of silent eye contact.

Looking at this obedient, pitiful, and helpless face, Ming Jiayue’s sense of guilt increased.

Ming Jiayue: System, if I tell Ji Shuangci I got the wrong person and send her home right now, will she believe me?

System 007: The original host threatened her with her sick mother. Do you think she’ll believe you? However, she doesn’t dare talk back right now, so you can say whatever you want!

Ming Jiayue cursed the original host in her heart. To put a young girl who hadn’t even entered society through this—she’d have psychological shadows for life. Her mission was to ensure Zhou An’an and Ji Shuangci spent the next ten years physically and mentally healthy.

Seeing the system panel at only 3% progress, Ming Jiayue chose her words carefully and finally spoke.

“I remember you. A senior at Nord High School, excellent grades… oh, and An’an’s tutor.”

Ji Shuangci froze, looking up in confusion. Was this some kind of roleplay?

Ji Shuangci’s mouth parted slightly, her dark eyes looking exceptionally bright as she watched Ming Jiayue.

Ming Jiayue suddenly stammered under that gaze. She stayed silent for a moment before regaining her serious tone.

“The future construction of our motherland needs excellent talents like you. I will continue to sponsor your studies. Furthermore, your mother’s illness and all resulting costs will be covered by the Ming Student Aid Fund.”

Ji Shuangci was completely at a loss for words or actions. She was stunned, staring at Ming Jiayue without blinking.

She was so suddenly serious that she didn’t seem like the same person.

The strange things on the bed weren’t fake. Her torn clothes on the floor weren’t fake. Her being in President Ming’s bedroom wasn’t fake.

So…

Ji Shuangci was young, after all. Though her family circumstances made her more cautious and mature than her peers, this sudden turn of events caused all her emotions to play out across her face.

Suspicion, relief, gratitude, fear…

Ming Jiayue took in all the changing expressions. While sympathizing with the female lead, she also found her dazed look a bit funny. She tapped her finger on the desk.

“As for tonight, I got the wrong person. I will give you appropriate compensation. Now, I’ll have the butler arrange a driver to take you home.”

Ming Jiayue finished the sentence with a straight face, then called the butler.

After hanging up, she looked back to see the female lead still sitting dazed at the desk.

Ming Jiayue leaned lazily against the wall, suddenly feeling the urge to tease the kid. A smile blossomed in her eyes.

“What, don’t want to go back?”

“Want to stay?”

With a smile, Ming Jiayue felt less distant, but her unreadable eyes still made people hesitate to approach.

Hearing this, Ji Shuangci acted like a startled kitten. She stood up instantly and whispered a response.

“Thank you, President Ming. I… I…”

Seeing her so flustered she didn’t know where to put her hands or feet, Ming Jiayue interrupted her.

“Want to stay? Then recite the 24-character Core Values for me first?”

“Also, have you finished all your practice exams?”

“You can do a few more sets in my room before going back.”

With that, Ming Jiayue pulled a stack of exam papers out of nowhere, placed them on the table, and walked out, leaving the space to Ji Shuangci.

Ji Shuangci looked at the exam papers on the desk with a complex gaze. After a long time, she exhaled softly, and her tense nerves finally began to relax.

Ji Shuangci chose to go home. The methodical butler, Uncle Li, was as polite as ever, seeing her to the car. He showed no reaction to the fact that she had just come out of Ming Jiayue’s bedroom.

Ji Shuangci sat close to the car door. Her tears had dried. Through the rearview mirror, she watched the villa recede into the distance. She belatedly touched her face and ears.

They were still burning hot.

As the car drove out of the quiet villa area into the dense city lights, Ji Shuangci opened the window to breathe the night air. After a long internal struggle, she sent a message to Ming Jiayue.

“President Ming, thank you for your sponsorship and help. I will earn money to pay you back as soon as possible. Thank you.”

Tree shadows fell across Ji Shuangci’s youthful, beautiful face. The light flickered over her. After sending the message, she reflexively turned off her phone to avoid it. She tilted her head toward the dark night outside, silent for the rest of the journey.

Ming Jiayue was currently touring the villa under her name. Any random painting or ornament in the living room was museum-grade. The garden was as large as a botanical garden, and they even kept peacocks…

Although Ming Jiayue was an entrepreneur before she transmigrated, the original host’s wealth was beyond her imagination.

Rich! Truly rich! How could a person be this wealthy!

As Ming Jiayue was marveling, the system suddenly warned: Host, look behind the pillar on the right side of the hallway. Is someone peeking at you?

Ming Jiayue instinctively turned her head. Her heart jumped into her throat.

The villa lights were dim at night. In a faint shadow, a head with hair as explosive as a female ghost’s peeked out from behind the pillar. On a face whiter than flour, a pair of eyes—showing only the whites—stared at her fixedly.

It was unspeakably terrifying!

“It’s Zhou An’an!”