Quick Transmigration: The Supporting Female Lead is Too Arrogant - Chapter 37

During the four-day holiday in early October, on the last day, just as Yan Qing was about to leave after packing her things, she received a call from Chu Yang. He told her that Yan Min had been arrested for stealing, Yan Xianhong had a stroke from the shock, and Yan Qing’s Grandparents both fell down the stairs and were severely injured and hospitalized.

Yan family was left with only Nie Cuihua in good health. Although the stolen items were returned, Yan Xianhong was incapable of handling matters, and Yan Min was imprisoned. The Yan family business immediately declared bankruptcy, and their villa was sold to compensate for the losses.

After various deductions, the Yan family was left with only a little over 200,000 yuan, along with the luxury goods such as jewelry and clothes they had previously bought. It was as if they had returned to their initial state overnight.

For Yan Min’s family, the situation was even worse than before.

Their son had to use his ID card to go online, but as soon as it was logged in, the cyber police detected it, and both parents were already in prison.

Wei Jun, although not in trouble, had no money and no parents. He could only return to the countryside to live with his grandparents, and his life took a drastic turn for the worse.

Yan Qing was deeply shocked by this news and almost couldn’t control her emotions.

The original Yan Qing was ecstatic.

Her wish had finally come true.

Feeling the lingering emotions in her body, Yan Qing’s eyes reddened slightly as she lowered her head. If the original Yan Qing were here, she might have patted her on the head, thinking what a poor child she was. In fact, everything could have been so simple.

Yan Qing still remembered how shocked she was when she first received the original Yan Qing’s memories and learned about Yan Xianhong’s foolish betrayal.

In reality, many things could have been resolved with just a slight change in approach.

The call was on speaker, so the Chu family’s couple could hear everything as well.

Zhou Huaiya saw Yan Qing lowering her head and thought she was upset. She comforted her, saying, “They treated you so badly, they’re not really your family anymore. Don’t be sad. If you feel sorry for the Yan family business, I can have Chu Heng buy it for you.”

Yan Qing shook her head, her eyes clear as spring water, and her small red lips curled into a smile. “There’s no need for that. I’m happy that my enemies have finally met a miserable end.”

Zhou Huaiya examined her carefully. Although she was crying, there was no sadness in her eyes, so she finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Suddenly, there was the sound of a wheelchair rolling.

Yan Qing looked up and saw Chu Zhao frowning slightly, looking at her.

The wheelchair approached her.

Yan Qing smiled lightly, “What’s wrong?”

Her voice was nasal, and there were still tears in the corners of her eyes, but she was smiling.

Her face was pale, and the redness stood out more clearly.

Chu Zhao looked at her and reached out, producing a beautiful silk handkerchief.

Yan Qing understood and took the handkerchief to wipe her tears, throwing the tissue she was using into the trash can.

With her tears wiped away, although her eyes were still slightly red, it was not very noticeable.

Chu Zhao finally felt relieved, his brows relaxing, and he said softly, “I’m going to paint.”

Yan Qing nodded, “Thank you for the handkerchief.”

“You’re welcome.” Chu Zhao smiled and controlled his wheelchair to leave.

This wheelchair was like a small car with a handle for controlling where to go.

Yan Qing returned to school with her backpack, feeling a sense of relief.

Now her only task was to study hard.

As soon as she entered the dormitory, she saw Dong Meng and the other three girls stand up suddenly, looking at her nervously.

Yan Qing wasn’t tall, only about 1.56 meters because of poor nutrition. She was almost seventeen but still looked small, carrying a large backpack and holding a box of milk, appearing particularly petite.

However, in Dong Meng’s eyes, she seemed very tall.

Yan Qing raised an eyebrow, a hint of confusion on her delicate face. “What’s going on? Are you looking for a fight?”

Dong Meng quickly shook her head, and the other girls did the same, but they all looked at her hesitantly, unsure of what to do.

Since it wasn’t a fight, Yan Qing didn’t care much. She appeared approachable but was actually very independent. She put down her things, took a bottle of milk for herself, and opened her homework to start studying.

The four girls on her right stepped forward and stood in a line, bowing deeply to her, saying seriously, “We’re sorry!”

Their voices were sincere and strong, with no hesitation.

Yan Qing was taken aback, choking a little. She coughed twice.

The four girls looked distressed and embarrassed, apologizing one after another. “We’re really sorry…”

“We didn’t mean it…”

Yan Qing waved her hand, the delicate and beautiful bracelet on her wrist adding a bright color to the somewhat shabby dormitory. The girls looked embarrassed, but Yan Qing remained composed, though her brows were slightly furrowed. “It’s okay, it’s okay. Why are you suddenly apologizing to me?”

The girls exchanged glances, and Dong Meng, as the representative, spoke softly. “We were wrong before. I always thought you were dirty, poor, and not studying well. I even resented you for daring to like Yuan Ye. But now I know I was wrong. I’m really sorry.”

During the holiday, Yan Qing had no contact with her classmates, but others were active in the class group chat.

The incident where Yan Qing’s family caused trouble and she fought back spread throughout the school.

Xu Dongfeng, even while on vacation, kept updating the group chat to help clear her name. After being scolded by his parents twice, he explained everything clearly.

After he finished, the group chat was quiet for a long time.

Dong Meng reflected on her actions for a long time.

She initially disliked Yan Qing because she was timid and unattractive, making them seem more imposing by contrast.

Later, she found out that Yan Qing wore the same clothes for a long time, stained her sheets and pants during her period, but never threw them away, and continued using torn shoes and socks.

Although Yan Qing didn’t have any odor, she never used body wash or shampoo.

They didn’t like her for these reasons.

When the love letter incident in sophomore year happened, their dislike turned into hatred.

Encouraged by Diao Xinyi, Dong Meng couldn’t help but want to teach Yan Qing a lesson, hoping she would change dorms.

Dong Meng, unaware of the consequences, kept bullying Yan Qing for almost a year.

It wasn’t until this semester when Yan Qing suddenly fought back, scaring them into submission, that they stopped.

Now, seeing everything that had happened to Yan Qing, Dong Meng felt like a terrible person. How could they bully someone already in such a miserable situation?

The four girls discussed this in the dormitory group and decided to apologize sincerely when Yan Qing returned.

They had been preparing all afternoon, and when Yan Qing arrived, they were nervous and scared.

However, saying it out loud relieved their burdened hearts.

Yan Qing looked at them and saw their nervousness and anxiety, like students facing a teacher’s evaluation. Especially Dong Meng, who kept tugging at her clothes. Yan Qing laughed and said loudly, “I forgive you.”

The four girls smiled widely and exchanged glances. Dong Meng said, “We also have a gift. This is our pocket money for the week. We hope you like it.”

They hurriedly brought over a gift box.

It was a neatly wrapped box with a bow.

Yan Qing opened it under their expectant gazes and found a beautifully decorated cake inside.

There was no writing on the cake.

The cake was large, and the sweet scent of cream filled the dormitory.

Yan Qing looked at the four girls, all smiling, trying to please her.

“We hope you like it,” Dong Meng said softly.

They had spent a long time choosing the gift and decided on a cake, thinking Yan Qing probably hadn’t had a birthday celebration in a while. They considered writing something on it but decided against it to avoid making her sad.

They were right.

The original Yan Qing had eaten cakes often before she was eight, but after that, she never had one again. No one remembered her birthday. She used to wonder why her uncle and aunt changed so quickly, from smiling to becoming like demons.

She knew she couldn’t ask for anything because if she did, even if she got the money, she would be beaten. They said she wasn’t worthy of their money because she had no parents.

So she could only get a little to eat when Wei Jun, Yan Yue, and Yan Peng celebrated their birthdays, and it was usually what they didn’t want.

Yan Qing felt a pang of sadness. The reason the original Yan Qing was often messy during her period was that she couldn’t afford sanitary pads. Saving a bit of money for them meant she had to scrimp and save even more, making it harder to get them next time.

Yan Qing stood up.

The four girls instinctively took a step back.

She laughed, “I’m not going to hit you. Don’t worry. Let’s cut the cake and eat it together.”

“Sure!” The four girls nodded eagerly, their faces lighting up with youthful smiles.

The midterm exam results were announced on the first day back at school.

Most students were eagerly awaiting their scores.

Except for Yan Qing’s class.

They were used to being at the bottom, so they weren’t too interested.

But Yan Qing was excited, hoping she had improved. After lunch, she quickly went to check the results, even turning down a boy’s confession on the way. At the classroom door, she saw the rankings posted.

Seeing the results, Yan Qing was overjoyed. She had indeed made progress!

The list showed: Yan Qing, Class Rank: 26, Grade Rank: 652.

There were 1,300 students in the grade, and the original Yan Qing’s scores had always been near the bottom. But this time, although her scores weren’t great, she had passed Chinese! Her other scores also improved by about thirty points each, which was significant.

“Yan Qing, you’ve improved a lot. Keep it up!” said Mr. Zhang, the homeroom teacher, who had just posted the results. He patted her shoulder, encouragingly. “If you have any questions, come to the office. Don’t waste time playing on your phone, and make sure to pay attention in class. I’ll move your seat closer to the middle.”

Yan Qing nodded, “Thank you, teacher. But my grades aren’t up to pace yet. I use my phone to ask my tutor questions. I’ll focus more in class once I catch up.”

Mr. Zhang understood, realizing why she only got the basic questions right. Although he insisted on changing her seat, it was a class rule to change seats monthly. Most students chose not to move, but he wanted to help her succeed.

After a few days, Yan Qing received a call from Chu Zhao.

It was during class, and usually, Chu Zhao only called at night, as if he knew she had classes during the day.

Seeing the call, she raised her hand.

“Yan Qing, do you have a question?” the English teacher asked, smiling.

Yan Qing stood up apologetically, “I have something urgent. I need to leave. Sorry, teacher.” She left before the teacher could respond, leaving her classmates shocked.

Even the least interested students wouldn’t leave class like that, seemingly disrespecting the teacher.

The English teacher’s face darkened but continued the lesson.

Students exchanged puzzled looks.

Outside, Yan Qing answered the call, “Chu Zhao? Why are you calling now?”

Her voice was light, but on the other end, chaos and Zhou Huaiya’s shouts made everything chaotic.

“Zhao Zhao, calm down. Mommy’s here!”

“Chu Zhao, listen, Qing Qing is on the phone…”

Yan Qing quickly cooperated, “Chu Zhao, can you hear me? Chu Zhao? Answer me…”

She spoke steadily, careful not to scare him.

But the chaos continued.

Suddenly, there was a sharp scream, and Zhou Huaiya shouted, “Put that down! You can’t play with that!”

Yan Qing’s heart sank.

It was clear the phone couldn’t calm him.

She hung up and left the school quickly, evading the gatekeeper and disappearing in a flash.

Back at the Chu household, everything seemed to calm down. Zhou Huaiya looked exhausted, her hair disheveled.

Seeing Yan Qing enter, she stood up quickly. “Why are you back? I just sent a message saying everything’s fine now. Go back to class; Zhao Zhao is already asleep.”

Despite her words, Zhou Huaiya was touched.

Yan Qing had hurried back in her school uniform jacket, clearly coming straight from school.

Zhou Huaiya couldn’t help but think that Yan Qing, being so kind, was trustworthy with Zhao Zhao. But she also felt that Yan Qing, being so good, shouldn’t be burdened by the Chu family’s troubles. She deserved a loving husband to protect her.

In that moment, Zhou Huaiya thought a lot but maintained a gentle smile.

Yan Qing smiled and shook her head, “It’s okay. I’ll check on him. Auntie, please ask my teacher for a leave.”

Zhou Huaiya felt complicated but let Yan Qing go upstairs without further words.

This child had strong opinions and must know the implications of her decisions.

She picked up her phone to make the call.

Upstairs, Yan Qing met Jiang Cheng coming out of Chu Zhao’s room. Seeing her, he sighed in relief, saying, “He still won’t sleep. I’ve increased the dose, but it didn’t help. Try calming him down, and then we can talk.”

Yan Qing nodded and went in.

Qin Zhen was watching over Chu Zhao. The room was a mess, with overturned easels, clearly showing signs of a struggle.

Yan Qing sniffed and caught a faint scent of blood.

Suppressing her doubts, she approached Chu Zhao’s bed gently, “Chu Zhao, I’m here.”

His weary eyes moved, and he slowly focused on her face.

Yan Qing continued, “What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell? Where does it hurt?”

Chu Zhao blinked, tears forming from keeping his eyes open too long. He pouted, looking both aggrieved and angry, glaring at her.

Yan Qing, unfazed, spoke gently, “Why aren’t you talking to me?”

Her soft tone was like coaxing a child, soothing and calming.

Chu Zhao’s frustration melted away, but he still didn’t speak, just staring at her.

Yan Qing said, “I don’t know where you hurt, so I’ll just massage you a bit.”

She placed her hand on his temple, gently massaging.

Chu Zhao relaxed, his eyes narrowing in pleasure, seeing only her delicate chin.

As her hand moved from his temple to the back of his ear, he finally spoke, “They won’t let me see you.”

Yan Qing chuckled, “Is that why you’re upset?”

Chu Zhao’s eyes widened, sharp like a drawn sword, “They won’t let me see you!”

This time, his tone was more intense, emphasizing the seriousness of the matter.

Yan Qing paused, recalling an online description of possessive behavior in people like Chu Zhao, who would remove anyone threatening their loved ones. She tentatively asked, “Do you think they don’t want me around?”

Chu Zhao’s voice deepened, “They do!”

They kept her in school, making her disappear from his sight repeatedly.

Chu Zhao had endured for a long time and finally snapped.

Yan Qing, shocked, quickly said, “It’s not them; it’s me. I want to study. Are you mad at me?”

Chu Zhao shook his head immediately, “No!”

Yan Qing’s eyes curved, showing deep thought. “If you don’t like it, I won’t go. I can study at home, and you’ll always find me here.”

Chu Zhao’s eyes lit up, his previous anger disappearing, looking like a boy happy with his crush’s promise, shy but delighted. “Okay!”

His mood improved, Yan Qing untied the ropes binding him, talking all the while.

As they chatted, Chu Zhao’s responses grew quieter. Yan Qing noticed he had fallen asleep, his eyes closed, a slight smile on his lips.

Seeing this, Yan Qing stopped talking, covered him with a blanket, and left the room.

Qin Zhen immediately went in to watch over him.

They couldn’t leave Chu Zhao unattended.

“Yan Qing, you’re doing well academically. Leaving school now would waste your potential,” Mr. Zhang advised earnestly.

He didn’t expect his top student to come back with her guardians, asking to study at home.

He looked suspiciously at the Chu couple.

Yan Qing quickly said, “It’s my decision. Something happened at home, and I can’t leave. But I’ll attend all exams. Don’t worry, teacher.”

The Chu couple, embarrassed, avoided Mr. Zhang’s gaze.

They hadn’t expected Yan Qing to be so dedicated to Chu Zhao, willing to study at home. This was beyond their expectations.

Yesterday, Yan Qing told them her plan after leaving Chu Zhao’s room.

Initially, the family refused, but Yan Qing calmly explained her reasons and convinced them with her determination to study well with a tutor.

So today, Yan Qing brought Zhou Huaiya to school to handle the formalities.

The Chu family, being major donors, found the process simple. Zhou Huaiya could have done it alone, but Chu Heng came along to show their support for Yan Qing.

Chu Heng was deeply impressed by Yan Qing’s gratitude and determination.

Yan Qing, however, remained the calmest of all.

Despite Mr. Zhang’s doubts, he couldn’t oppose the Chu family and Yan Qing’s firm resolve. He reluctantly allowed her to study at home.

“I’ll send the exam schedules to your phone. Make sure to attend on time, or I’ll come for a home visit,” Mr. Zhang said sternly.

Yan Qing nodded obediently, smiling, “Thank you, teacher.”

“Alright, it’s settled.”

Yan Qing gathered her belongings from her desk and dormitory, carrying a pile of books to the car.

In the car, Zhou Huaiya, hesitant for a long time, finally said at the door, “Qing Qing, let’s get your household registration changed tomorrow. You’ll be my daughter.”

Yan Qing was taken aback, shaking her head, “Auntie, that’s not necessary. I said I would do this before. Living at home is better for me. I have better food, accommodation, and supplies than at school.”

Zhou Huaiya wanted to say more, but Yan Qing interrupted, “Auntie, let’s go back. We need to find other tutors.”

The previous tutors were only available during their breaks, but now she needed to study seven days a week.

Zhou Huaiya nodded immediately.

Back at the Chu residence, Zhou Huaiya started recruiting new tutors.

The previous tutors, being college students working part-time, had conflicting schedules.

Yan Qing went to her room to prepare a study space.

The housekeeper, Aunt Zhou, said, “Qing Qing, Madam has prepared the third floor for your study. Go check if anything else is needed.”

Yan Qing’s eyes lit up. She cheerfully took her backpack upstairs, “Great! I was worried about studying in my room.”

Aunt Zhou smiled, “The desk is new. Madam thought you might be disturbed, so she set up a quiet space on the third floor.”

Excited, Yan Qing went upstairs and found the room beautifully set up. A desk in the center, a tatami by the window, and a bookshelf against the wall, though empty for her to fill with books of her choice. Everything she needed for studying was ready.

Yan Qing was touched by the Chu family’s thoughtfulness.

As she marveled, a call came from downstairs, “Yan Qing!”

Chu Zhao’s clear voice echoed, and Yan Qing hurried out to see him looking up from the first floor, with Zhou Huaiya smiling beside him. “Zhao Zhao, Mommy didn’t lie. Qing Qing is home now. Don’t worry.”

Chu Zhao hesitated, then nodded.

Seeing this, Zhou Huaiya beamed, and as Yan Qing ran down, she exclaimed, “Zhao Zhao responded to me.”

Yan Qing pushed Chu Zhao’s wheelchair, smiling at Zhou Huaiya, “Chu Zhao will get better, don’t worry.”

Chu Zhao, relaxed, leaned back in his wheelchair.

Zhou Huaiya nodded vigorously, changing the subject, “I’ve posted the tutor job. We should get responses soon. For now, focus on self-study.”

“Alright.” Yan Qing agreed, then asked Chu Zhao, “What do you want to do?”

Chu Zhao yawned, “Sleep.”

Yan Qing blinked, checking the time—it was only ten in the morning.

Qin Zhen explained, “He had a burst of inspiration last night and painted until six this morning. He just woke up.”

Understanding, Yan Qing took Chu Zhao upstairs to rest before returning to her studies.

With Zhou Huaiya’s generous offers, several tutors quickly applied. Yan Qing tested them and selected three, one for each weekday, with the previous tutor covering weekends.

Zhou Huaiya, surprised, asked, “Aren’t you leaving any time to play?”

Yan Qing shook her head, “Playing isn’t fun. Studying is.”

Zhou Huaiya didn’t argue further, knowing Yan Qing was determined and knew what she wanted. She tried to keep Chu Zhao from disturbing her, bringing him to the third floor to watch her study through the open door.

Initially, Chu Zhao resisted, but seeing that Yan Qing never left him, he gradually accepted it and began communicating more, mainly to ask her to take him to Chu Zhao.

With Yan Qing’s guidance, Chu Zhao started to communicate effectively.

After about six months, Chu Zhao was interacting normally with his family.

With Yan Qing around, he avoided sudden bouts of anger and didn’t hurt himself to feel better.

The Chu family’s atmosphere visibly improved, and Yan Qing’s status in the household rose. Zhou Huaiya treated her like a treasure.

Yet Yan Qing continued her routine.

Every month, she returned to school for exams, with the housekeeper picking up the test papers.

Her grades steadily improved, moving from 600th place to 400th, then to 200th, and 100th.

After one semester, her final exam results placed her first in her class and 85th in the grade.

Though not top-tier, it was impressive, especially in the context of their school, where the top 100 usually secured spots in good universities.

At this moment, Yan Qing couldn’t help but appreciate the spiritual spring water.

While not magical, it improved her physical condition, enhancing her memory and comprehension, allowing her to absorb knowledge quickly and perform well in exams.

She spent the New Year with the Chu family.

Not in their current residence but at their ancestral home.

On the way, Zhou Huaiya laughed, “We used to plan on moving back to Chu Village once Yang Yang could manage on his own. The people there are kind to Zhao Zhao.”

Outsiders might unintentionally hurt him with casual remarks, but the villagers were all relatives and friends, with most surnamed Chu.

Yan Qing looked outside, admiring the picturesque scenery, “It’s so refreshing here.”

Suddenly, she felt a weight on her shoulder—Chu Zhao had fallen asleep against her.

Zhou Huaiya smiled, gesturing to stay quiet, while Chu Heng, driving, turned to see his son leaning on Yan Qing, his eyes filled with joy.

Arriving at Chu Village, Yan Qing immediately felt the lively atmosphere. A group of cheerful villagers, dressed plainly, approached, shouting warmly, “The boss is back!”

Chu Heng opened the car door, and the noise increased several times.

Chu Zhao, startled, woke up, and Yan Qing whispered in his ear, “It’s okay, it’s okay…”

Chu Heng realized, “You go ahead to the house. I’ll walk back.”

Chu Yang nodded and drove on.

The rural setting was lively, especially during the New Year, with everyone home.

Though noisy outside, their house remained peaceful.

The Chu family’s home was the most beautiful in the village, standing out prominently.

Yan Qing followed them out of the car.

Several people came out of the house, their eyes lighting up upon seeing them.

A middle-aged woman approached Zhou Huaiya warmly, “I wondered why it was so lively up front. The boss’s family is back.”

Turning back, she called, “Grandpa, your eldest son’s family is here!”

A man, around sixty or seventy, came out, smiling with wrinkled eyes, “You’re back, Zhao Zhao, Yang Yang!”

Chu Zhao frowned, and Yan Qing whispered in his ear, “That’s Grandpa. Call him.”

Zhou Huaiya watched expectantly.

Chu Zhao frowned deeper but obediently called, “Grandpa!”

Grandpa Chu was even more excited, while the woman beside him, her face turning strange, ignored Chu Zhao’s greeting and looked at Yan Qing, exclaiming, “Whose girl is this? Boss, you said Zhao Zhao was for my daughter!”