Has The Live-in Alpha Stepped Up - Chapter 29
29: Go to See the Mountain
Hearing An Yizhu ask such a question, even An Lan was startled and quickly glanced at Yu Guqiu’s expression beside her.
How could she say something like that so carelessly?
When ordinary people talk about “holding another wedding,” it usually implies divorce—it’s an inauspicious thing to say.
But An Lan noticed that Yu Guqiu didn’t react much.
Even the children around them, unaware of any taboo, were instead buzzing with excitement.
“Really? Can we also attend the wedding?”
“No wonder Sister Xiao An and the pretty sister are dressed so beautifully today!”
“Are there lots of delicious treats at weddings?”
“Silly, there are already lots of delicious treats today!”
“I heard only people who love each other very much have weddings.”
“Then if Sister Xiao An and the pretty sister have two weddings, they must really, really love each other!”
The children chattered away with their innocent words.
Yu Guqiu was almost overwhelmed by their enthusiasm.
An Yizhu hadn’t expected the kids to react like this.
Now she felt a little embarrassed: “Old Mom An, did I ruin your original plans?”
But An Lan smiled and said, “Today is because we moved to a new home, and with Xiao… Xiao Qiu’s support, the daily expenses in the accounts are all covered. So I used the wages from my part-time job the other day to celebrate Xiao Laba’s birthday. There’s meat stewing in the pot, and I was planning to fry a couple more dishes. You came at just the right time.”
“Wow! You’re really called Xiao Laba!” An Yizhu’s focus was oddly specific. She hadn’t expected the nickname she’d casually come up with to be so accurate. She had only called her “Big Trumpet” because the girl was taller than the other kids.
Xiao Laba immediately pouted: “Sister Xiao An! That nickname was even given by you! What are you talking about?”
An Yizhu apologized: “My bad, I forgot because of my amnesia. Does everyone in the courtyard call each other by nicknames?”
Old Mom An nodded: “Because when you were little, you said that people’s names aren’t always ones they like, but nicknames definitely fit their personalities. So everyone kept that tradition.”
An Yizhu loved this idea.
For the children in the welfare home, the names given by their birth parents were part of a past they might leave behind—some might change them when they grew up or were adopted.
So the memories of their childhood were better preserved in the nicknames their friends playfully gave them.
An Yizhu thought for a moment and asked, “Do we have drawing supplies and paper here?”
She figured the home must have art supplies.
Even at the old welfare home, despite the difficult conditions, An Lan had let the kids paint on the walls. Now that things were better, maybe they could expand into more extracurricular activities.
An Lan glanced at Yu Guqiu and nodded: “Xiao Qiu thought of everything. The supplies she sent included art materials, simple musical instruments, and sports equipment. But we haven’t had time to organize them yet—they’re all in the art classroom. Go take a look, it’s right over there.”
An Yizhu patted Yu Guqiu’s hand: “I’ll be right back. You can help Old Mom An with the dishes or something.”
Then she dashed off.
Yu Guqiu retracted her now-empty hand, faintly curling her fingers. The warmth of An Yizhu’s touch still lingered.
She was always so full of energy and vitality.
An Lan also watched An Yizhu run away, shaking her head with a smile: “This girl, even after getting married, she’s still so unruly.”
Yu Guqiu, however, took the initiative to say, “Old Mom An, didn’t you say there’s meat stewing and dishes to fry? I can help.”
“Oh, there’s no need for that. I’ve just gotten used to this new kitchen—you don’t need to come in. Just sit.” An Lan found an excuse to decline Yu Guqiu’s offer. At the same time, she noticed Yu Guqiu seemed a bit reserved around the children and added, “How about you keep an eye on the kids so they don’t sneak a peek at the cake?”
“Okay.” Yu Guqiu nodded seriously, accepting the task with determination.
As An Lan turned away, she couldn’t help but find it amusing.
Yu Guqiu, the lofty CEO, now looked just like a child—earnest and adorable over such trivial matters.
An Yizhu, completely unaware of the scene unfolding in her absence, was exclaiming excitedly in the art classroom.
“Wow, Yu Guqiu really went all out—top-tier paints, brushes, easels, even the paper is premium.”
“Wow, I couldn’t even afford this back then. Can I just steal it?”
“Wow! Forget it, maybe I should just claim this whole art classroom as mine?”
Muttering to herself, An Yizhu gathered all the supplies she wanted, only managing to carry them out with a basket.
As she left the art classroom, she had been sprinting eagerly but suddenly stopped halfway.
Because she saw a sight that made her heart skip.
The golden glow of the 5 o’clock sunset spilled into the courtyard.
The light draped perfectly over Yu Guqiu, casting a soft filter over her.
She was gently braiding a little girl’s hair.
A long line of girls waited their turn, each patiently stroking their own hair.
A crowd of short-haired kids surrounded them, sadly lamenting their lack of length.
No one noticed An Yizhu’s return.
An Yizhu smiled. She hadn’t expected her “fall from favor” to happen so quickly.
Quietly, she fetched a small stool, set up an easel, placed her paper, and prepared her palette.
Then she began to paint.
This was her first time picking up a brush since coming here—it felt both familiar and foreign, thrilling yet peaceful.
A subtle feeling.
An Yizhu, tall as she was, hunched over the child-sized easel, still drawing attention. Curious children soon flocked to her.
She quickly completed a sketch—a cartoon version of a child.
The sharp-eyed kids immediately recognized it: “Xiao Laba, Sister Xiao An is drawing you!”
Xiao Laba rushed over.
At a glance—
“WOW!!!” She was overjoyed.
With just a few strokes, An Yizhu captured Xiao Laba’s features, adding a trumpet in her hand and a birthday hat on her head.
“Sister Xiao An, your drawing skills are amazing now! This is me, it’s me! Is this my birthday present?” Xiao Laba was ecstatic, reaching out to snatch it and run off.
An Yizhu knew what she was planning and stopped her: “Hold on, Old Mom An is still busy—no need to show her yet. This isn’t just for you; it’s for everyone. You’re in charge of introducing everyone’s traits and nicknames to me. I’ll draw them all.”
“Really? Okay!! This one next to me is Xiao Haixing. Her thing is that she used to always say ‘just okay,’ ‘just okay,’ but not anymore. Now she says ‘so great,’ ‘so wonderful,’ but her nickname stayed the same.” Xiao Laba immediately launched into introductions.
An Yizhu spent twenty minutes drawing “cartoon ID cards” for all fifteen children in the welfare home.
Finally, she drew one for An Lan too.
After finishing, Xiao Laba noticed a problem: “Sister Xiao An, you haven’t drawn yourself or the pretty sister yet!”
“Hmm… then, how would you describe me?” An Yizhu asked with a smile.
The kids immediately started chattering.
“Sister Xiao An always keeps her promises. She once said she’d give me a toy, and she really did.”
“Sister Xiao An is so kind. Even if she only had one piece of candy, she’d give it to me.”
“Sister Xiao An…”
But An Yizhu just listened without drawing.
Only Xiao Laba, clever beyond her years, had an idea: “Don’t ask us! You’re married now—let the pretty sister describe you!”
An Yizhu and the kids all turned to Yu Guqiu.
Under so many expectant gazes, Yu Guqiu couldn’t escape. She thought seriously for a moment, then suddenly smiled.
The moment An Yizhu saw that smile, she knew what was coming.
Sure enough!
“Big greedy girl.” Yu Guqiu announced.
“HAHAHAHA!!!” The kids burst into laughter.
“Sister Xiao An, hurry up and draw!” Xiao Laba urged.
“Yeah, Sister Xiao An, your wife said it! It’s perfect!” Xiao Haixing chimed in. Clearly, she’d gotten used to saying “so great.”
An Yizhu obediently drew a cartoon of herself as a ravenous girl devouring noodles.
In retaliation, she drew Yu Guqiu as a stunning but stern woman encased in an iceberg, her light-colored eyes the striking focal point—unmistakably her.
When An Lan emerged from the kitchen carrying dishes, she saw the children sitting obediently at the long table according to age, none touching the food or the cake.
The girls all had their hair styled, and the boys’ hair was neatly combed.
Each child had a “cartoon ID card” stuck to their clothes.
Even An Yizhu and Yu Guqiu weren’t exempt.
Yu Guqiu hadn’t refused the childish cartoon ID, but while others stuck theirs on their chests, she placed hers on her right arm.
An Lan smiled: “How did you come up with so many fun things in the short time I was gone?”
“Old Mom An, you have one too—Sister Xiao An drew it.” Xiao Laba jumped up and stuck the drawing on An Lan’s arm.
But An Lan held the cartoon ID in her hand.
The drawing depicted a cartoon version of An Lan, her hair streaked with gray, smiling broadly with open arms, welcoming every child.
An Lan pressed her lips together, her eyes glistening.
An Yizhu hadn’t intended to be sentimental and quickly cut off the moment. She stood up gracefully, bowed to Yu Guqiu, and extended her hand.
Yu Guqiu seemed to understand what she wanted and, under everyone’s gaze, inexplicably reached out to take it.
Holding Yu Guqiu’s hand, An Yizhu announced to the crowd: “Thank you all for taking time out of your busy schedules to attend mine and Xiao Qiu’s wedding.”
“HAHAHA.” The kids burst into laughter again.
Yeah, yeah, they’d been so busy lately.
Busy helping clean rooms, busy playing ball, busy drawing.
An Yizhu didn’t prepare any special performances for this “wedding.” She simply held Yu Guqiu’s hand and walked around the table, shaking hands with each child.
“Thank you for witnessing our wedding. Although Xiao Qiu and I haven’t known each other long, I believe it must be fate—just like in fairy tales, where one princess meets another.”
An Yizhu spouted nonsense, but she was happier than she’d been at the morning’s wedding.
“We won’t be locked in a castle. We’ll slay dragons together, travel the world, and do all sorts of fun things.”
An Yizhu painted a beautiful picture—for herself and Yu Guqiu, and for these children.
Yu Guqiu stood beside her at the head of the table, bathed in the children’s pure gazes.
Amid their sincere laughter, she couldn’t help but smile softly.
At this moment, Yu Guqiu also thought: if only such a fairy tale could come true.
The children listened intently.
They didn’t understand adult rules, but framed as a fairy tale, it made perfect sense.
Their Sister Xiao An and the pretty sister had found each other. They would overcome challenges and live happily ever after.
An Lan, seeing the scene devolve into a bedtime story skit, decided the two had fooled around enough.
Well, mostly An Yizhu fooled around while Yu Guqiu watched with a smile.
It was time to wrap up—the food was getting cold.
An Lan urged with a smile: “Alright, alright, we’ve reached the final part of the wedding ceremony. (Whispering) The food should be eaten while it’s hot.”
An Yizhu looked at Yu Guqiu: “The ceremony’s final act.”
The morning wedding had been Yu Guqiu’s domain. This fairy-tale version was entirely An Yizhu’s mischief.
Yu Guqiu had no idea how An Yizhu planned to conclude it.
Was she going to… in front of all these kids?
An Yizhu stepped forward, closing the distance between them.
Yu Guqiu’s long, delicate lashes fluttered slightly over her gem-like eyes.
Then, An Yizhu’s slender frame suddenly spread its arms—like a net, wrapping tightly around her.
It was a fierce hug, as if she’d never let go, no matter what.
Yu Guqiu didn’t resist or refuse, simply resting her head on An Yizhu’s shoulder.
The faint scent of licorice and the subtle fragrance of roses quietly intertwined in the unnoticed space between them.
Yu Guqiu looked up at the sky.
The sunset’s glow was at its most beautiful, painting the horizon.
The colorful clouds were breathtaking.
Perhaps she’d remember this moment forever because of this view.
Clap clap clap clap—!
Xiao Laba was the first to react, starting a round of applause. The other kids followed enthusiastically.
An Lan also applauded, discreetly wiping the moisture from her eyes.
Though there were many understandable reasons why she hadn’t been invited to the morning wedding, she held no grudges.
But witnessing this children’s-exclusive wedding erased any lingering regrets.
At this moment, everyone’s hearts were filled with joy—the kind called happiness.
An Yizhu and Yu Guqiu returned to their seats, ceding the spotlight to the birthday girl.
Xiao Laba was overjoyed, personally handling the candle-lighting and wish-making.
She wasn’t worried about her wish not coming true if spoken aloud. Closing her eyes, she declared loudly:
“I hope every day is as happy as today!”
“HAPPY!!” the kids cheered.
Xiao Haixing, sitting next to An Yizhu, even said: “Sister Xiao An, today is the happiest day of my life.”
An Yizhu smiled. The children’s pure joy moved her.
“It’s my happiest day too.”
Next was cake-cutting.
Xiao Laba deliberately gave An Yizhu an enormous slice: “Here, eat up, Big Greedy Girl Sister Xiao An!”
An Yizhu laughed: “Thanks a lot. If you give me this much, there won’t be enough for everyone else.”
“There’s enough, there’s enough! We can’t eat this much anyway—you should have it.” Xiao Haixing added.
The other kids giggled.
An Yizhu, without any guilt about “stealing” cake from children, happily devoured the sweet cream.
The lunch had been so uncomfortable, but now she was ecstatic—her empty stomach deserved to be filled with delicious food in a relaxed atmosphere.
Yu Guqiu watched as An Yizhu, just like the kids, was content with her slice of cake.
She silently resolved to increase the welfare home’s birthday fund—she wanted this happiness to continue.
Dinner with the children passed quickly in the lively chaos, ending a little past 7 p.m.
An Lan had to usher the kids to bath and bedtime, so she gently shooed the couple away.
“It’s getting late. You should head back soon—the roads are harder to navigate after dark.”
“Old Mom An, you go ahead. I’ll help clean up before leaving.”
An Yizhu eyed the table full of dishes, wanting to assist.
Though the kids were well-behaved and hadn’t made a mess, with so many of them, cleanup was inevitable.
“No need. I do this every day—I’m used to it.” An Lan refused, adding bluntly, “I’m afraid you’ll just break my good plates with your clumsiness.”
Her words were brutally honest.
The two younger women couldn’t argue with her—this was a woman who’d stubbornly fought fate for half her life.
Yu Guqiu took the hint and called Xie Fang to pick them up.
An Yizhu, with time to spare, said: “Old Mom An, the art classroom is a mess. I’ll come back tomorrow to help organize it.”
Yu Guqiu also had arrangements: “The older kids can transfer to the nearby elementary school. I’ve arranged for a school bus and driver.
“Teachers and assistants will also arrive tomorrow. They’ll handle preschool lessons and daily chores, so they can help too.”
This time, An Lan didn’t refuse. She held Yu Guqiu’s hand: “Good child, I know you both mean well. I won’t stand on ceremony with you.”
Even An Yizhu was surprised by Yu Guqiu’s thoughtfulness. She grabbed her other hand and placed a candy in her palm: “You’re so meticulous, Yu Guqiu. You’re truly a great person! Here’s a reward—the kids gave this to me earlier.”
Yu Guqiu looked at the colorful candy wrapper and shook her head with a smile: “You really are just a kid too.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” An Yizhu wasn’t offended. Grinning, she patted An Lan’s shoulder: “You’ve worked hard, Old Mom An.”
An Lan’s budding emotion vanished instantly. She swatted An Yizhu’s hand away: “No respect! Xiao Qiu is right—you’re just a kid. No more nonsense. I need to tend to the children.”
To Yu Guqiu, she added kindly: “Be careful on your way back.”
“Okay, Old Mom An.”
Yu Guqiu’s voice was soft, but to An Yizhu, it sounded incredibly sweet. She must be in a great mood—even better than after the morning wedding.
An Yizhu and Yu Guqiu waited by the roadside briefly before Xie Fang arrived in the car from Yuhe Pharmaceuticals.
On the ride back, Yu Guqiu and Xie Fang discussed the company’s current state.
Yu Feng’s earlier sabotage—shutting down production and sending employees on leave—had earned him a scolding from Yu Shanmei.
With new funding secured to fulfill the Luan family’s order, Yu Feng knew better than to cause more trouble.
He couldn’t afford to jeopardize long-term gains for short-term pettiness.
Now, he was personally overseeing overtime production at the factory.
Yu Guqiu nodded, satisfied.
Yu Feng would likely behave for a while. The real challenge lay with the board.
Still, today’s news was good.
After that conversation, the car fell silent.
An Yizhu, finding the quiet dull, glanced at Xie Fang’s back and then at Yu Guqiu, who was scrolling through news on her phone. Suddenly, she spoke:
“Do you know how many steps it takes to put an elephant in a fridge?”
Yu Guqiu, predictably, ignored the riddle.
But Xie Fang, having grown accustomed to An Yizhu’s random remarks, played along: “How could an elephant even fit in a fridge?”
An Yizhu grinned. Did this world not even have this classic joke?
She’d have endless material to share.
“Three steps: Open the fridge, put the elephant in, close the fridge.”
Yu Guqiu remained unimpressed but didn’t object.
Xie Fang laughed: “Hahaha, that’s the answer? I get it—it’s a brain teaser.”
An Yizhu, grateful for Xie Fang’s participation, continued: “Yes! Now, second question!”
“How many steps to put a giraffe in a fridge?” This time, Yu Guqiu cut in, even stealing the question.
[So this world does have brain teasers after all.]
An Yizhu’s eyes sparkled mischievously. She had another question in mind: “No, the second question is—how many steps to melt an iceberg?”
Yu Guqiu fell silent, her brow furrowing slightly.
Xie Fang, still confused: “An iceberg? How could anyone melt an iceberg? Global warming?”
An Yizhu smiled, plucking the “cartoon ID” from Yu Guqiu’s arm and tucking it into her own pocket.
She revealed the answer: “Two steps: Open your arms, hug the iceberg!”
“Ah—?” Xie Fang nodded vaguely, only half-understanding.
But Yu Guqiu grasped the underlying meaning.
She knew what An Yizhu was hinting at.
These past few days, her attitude toward An Yizhu had indeed softened.
But that was only natural.
An Yizhu had been behaving well, and she needed her to keep it up—wasn’t that all?
What did that have to do with “melting”?
Yu Guqiu turned to the window, evading the topic: “Where’s there an iceberg in Jiangcheng? You’ve never even seen one.”
An Yizhu grinned: “If the mountain won’t come to me, I’ll go to the mountain.”
As she spoke, she reattached the “cartoon ID” to Yu Guqiu’s arm.
Then she gazed out the window, her eyes reflecting the neon lights outside, humming a nameless tune.
[She really is just a kid.]
Yu Guqiu didn’t engage, only glancing back at An Yizhu before looking at the cartoon ID on her arm. A helpless smile tugged at her lips.
Back home.
“Goodnight!” An Yizhu bid Yu Guqiu an early farewell and retreated to her room.
She dug out the prenuptial agreement from her drawer.
Flipping through it, she found the clause: “Party B is not permitted to develop feelings for Party A.”
She hadn’t misremembered—this clichéd, useless clause was indeed there.
Feelings can’t be controlled. Even if you seal your lips, they’ll spill from your eyes.
The only question that bothered her was: Was it wrong to like Yu Guqiu while also making money off her?
Yu Guqiu only wanted her to treat her like a boss—nothing more.
A boss was a boss, not a wife.
If she became a wife, she couldn’t simply obey orders as an employee would.
If she became a wife, she’d only want to share a bed, tangled in love and desire.
So a boss could only be a wife…
Wait, no—a wife could only be a boss.
Sorry, I mean… it’s fine to take orders from your wife too, right?
Ah!
She just wanted to be a devoted wife—what was the big deal?
Besides, she had a marriage certificate! It was legal!
An Yizhu cheerfully returned the contract to the drawer, placing their marriage certificate on top of it.