Has The Live-in Alpha Stepped Up - Chapter 30
30: The Wife-Chasing Plan
The next day, as soon as An Yizhu rushed out of her room, she was greeted by the comforting aroma of rice porridge wafting through the house. The electric rice cooker in the kitchen was set to porridge mode.
Meanwhile, Yu Guqiu was sitting on the living room sofa—her usual favorite spot.
“You haven’t left yet!” An Yizhu exclaimed in delight. She had adjusted her sleep schedule specifically to wake up earlier, hoping to catch a glimpse of Yu Guqiu before she left for work.
Yu Guqiu turned to look at her.
Only then did An Yizhu notice that Yu Guqiu was reviewing some documents. She quickly covered her mouth. “Sorry, go ahead. I didn’t mean to disturb you.”
But Yu Guqiu didn’t seem annoyed.
She had already heard the commotion when An Yizhu was rummaging around her room getting dressed.
An Yizhu was always full of energy after a good night’s sleep, often tiptoeing around with light, hurried steps.
Yu Guqiu set down her tablet and stood up. “The porridge should be ready soon.”
“Got it! I’ll go wash up first!” An Yizhu tiptoed her way to the bathroom.
Yu Guqiu noticed she was still barefoot.
She had given her a pair of slippers, but An Yizhu seemed to prefer the feeling of her feet against the floor.
Five minutes later, An Yizhu had freshened up in record time and was already seated at the dining table, accepting the bowl of porridge Yu Guqiu handed her.
“Thank you!! We’re having porridge today?!” An Yizhu was overjoyed.
“I felt like having something warm this morning.” Yu Guqiu replied.
An Yizhu nodded. “I agree, something warm is perfect for breakfast. When I get the chance, I’ll learn a few recipes from Old Mom An.”
Mentioning Old Mom An, Yu Guqiu smoothly segued into the topic. “You’re going to see Old Mom An today, right? Ride with me later, and Auntie Fang can drop you off.”
“No need, no need! Even though the factory district isn’t directly accessible by subway, I can just take a cab. It’s convenient enough.” An Yizhu insisted, not wanting to inconvenience Yu Guqiu’s schedule.
But Yu Guqiu said, “Tomorrow is the board meeting. I don’t want any mishaps happening to you.”
An Yizhu froze at that, then leaned in closer, hands braced on the table. “What? You’re that worried about me? Are you saying someone might try to harm me?”
“……” Yu Guqiu even fell silent for two seconds before processing An Yizhu’s train of thought.
It was quite something for An Yizhu to say something like this—in broad daylight, under the clear sky…
But then again, considering that just a week ago, such an incident had indeed occurred, and even the hospital bl00d tests had come back normal by then…
To avoid affecting Yuhe Pharmaceuticals, it wasn’t advisable to report it to the police either.
So An Yizhu wasn’t wrong—she was worried about her.
No, to be precise, it was more accurate to say that, deep down, she was concerned about the unlikely possibility of such an incident happening again. She just wanted to leave nothing to chance.
“If that’s how you want to interpret it, fine.” Yu Guqiu said calmly.
An Yizhu slurped down a few mouthfuls of porridge, mumbling, “Who knew being the CEO’s wife was such a high-risk job? Don’t worry, my mom had my fortune told. My birth chart says I’m tough as nails.”
Back when she was hospitalized and critically ill, her mother—once a firm believer in science—had turned to prayers and fortune-telling, desperate for a medical miracle. That was when her birth chart had been analyzed.
“Old Mom An?” Yu Guqiu looked at An Yizhu, sensing that the “my mom” she had mentioned and “Old Mom An” weren’t the same person.
An Yizhu chuckled awkwardly, quickly deflecting. “Yeah, well, I won’t let anything happen to me. Boss, you’re paying me well. Right now, my life is yours. I won’t let anything go wrong.”
Yu Guqiu stirred her bowl of plain porridge, unfazed by An Yizhu’s exaggerated declaration.
She had heard plenty of dramatic proclamations before—online fans loved saying things like “I’d die for you” or “You own my life.” She wondered where An Yizhu had picked up such phrases.
After breakfast, An Yizhu accepted Yu Guqiu’s arrangement and rode with her.
Truthfully, she was happy to spend more time with Yu Guqiu, even if the latter was busy working during the ride, leaving no room for conversation.
They arrived at Yu Corporation together to drop Yu Guqiu off.
An Yizhu got out of the car with her, then switched to the front passenger seat.
Rolling down the window, she leaned against the doorframe. “Yu Guqiu, have a great day at work! Don’t overexert yourself!”
Her voice wasn’t loud, but the underground garage’s acoustics amplified it.
A few people who had just parked nearby overheard and exchanged amused whispers.
The CEO and her wife were so affectionate.
Yu Guqiu didn’t even turn around, quickening her pace.
Though she didn’t get a response, An Yizhu smiled contentedly.
After that, Xie Fang drove her to the factory district.
An Yizhu politely thanked her. “Sorry for the trouble, Auntie Fang!”
“No trouble at all. I was heading to the old factory anyway—it’s on the way.” Xie Fang replied, though her usual warm smile was absent.
An Yizhu noticed. “Auntie Fang, you seem a bit down. Did something happen at the factory?”
Xie Fang was surprised her mood was so obvious.
But she shook her head. “It’s not about the factory. I’m just debating whether I should say something. Tomorrow’s board meeting… those people aren’t exactly easy to deal with.”
An Yizhu nodded seriously. “Of course they’re not. If they were, Yu Guqiu wouldn’t need me to accompany her. It’s not that an outsider like me carries any weight—it’s that her influence has shrunk to the point where she needs external support to sway them. That alone speaks volumes.”
Xie Fang was even more surprised. “You actually thought that far ahead?”
It wasn’t that she thought An Yizhu was unintelligent—just that she was naive, young, inexperienced, and new to the workforce. It was normal for her not to understand these things.
An Yizhu smiled sheepishly. “I wouldn’t have figured it out on my own. It took me days of thinking. Like at yesterday’s wedding—there were undercurrents everywhere, but I couldn’t actually tell what was going on.”
Xie Fang laughed at her bluntness. “No wonder the young miss likes you. You’re sharp and funny.”
An Yizhu’s heart skipped a beat. “Yu Guqiu… likes me?”
Xie Fang was one of Yu Guqiu’s closest confidantes. If she said Yu Guqiu liked her, did that mean…?
An Yizhu’s mind raced.
No, no—she couldn’t let her own feelings cloud her judgment.
Rule #1 of An Yizhu’s Love Principles:
When you like someone, it’s easy to start looking for signs they like you back. But if you get caught in that spiral, you’ll only suffer the backlash after a brief moment of happiness.
The specifics of the prenuptial agreement between Yu Guqiu and herself were known only to the two of them. Whether it was Xie Fang, Lin Meng, or Yu Shanmei, none of them knew the details.
Since Xie Fang was unaware, it was easy for her to misinterpret Yu Guqiu’s actions as a boss as signs of affection.
An Yizhu took a deep breath and smiled. “I’m not sharp at all. My mom used to say I’m stubborn—once I set my mind on something, I charge ahead without looking back. The only reason I figured this out is because Grandma dropped some hints yesterday.”
Xie Fang’s frown eased. So the old lady had already given her a heads-up.
“Ah, that makes sense. The old lady likes you too—I can see that.”
An Yizhu grinned. “And I can see that Auntie Fang likes me too!”
Rule #2 of An Yizhu’s Love Principles:
If you want the person you like to like you back but don’t know where to start, begin with the people around them.
Xie Fang smiled warmly at that, her maternal instincts kicking in. “Yes, ever since I first saw you in the hospital, I knew you were destined for great things.”
An Yizhu had a better memory than that. She recalled Xie Fang’s polite but guarded demeanor back then and couldn’t help laughing. “You thought I looked like trouble, didn’t you?”
Caught off guard, Xie Fang didn’t bother hiding it. “See? And you say you’re not sharp—you’re plenty sharp.”
An Yizhu was now certain: she had a knack for winning over elders. Only someone with a close relationship could joke like this.
As they chatted, they even added each other as contacts during a red light.
Soon, Xie Fang dropped her off at the entrance of Ciai Welfare Home.
No—the sign outside had been replaced. It now read Ciai Yuhe Courtyard.
Because love could heal wounds.
An Yizhu had her own interpretation, and she loved the name.
She strode inside confidently.
“Who are you?” A security guard stopped her.
An Yizhu hadn’t expected the courtyard to have security now. After a brief pause, she answered, “I’m… I’m one of the kids here.”
The guard immediately understood. “Ah, you’re An Yizhu, right? Go ahead. The director said you can head straight to the second floor to help out.”
“Got it!” An Yizhu jogged inside.
She had dressed in her sportswear again today, ready to pitch in.
The courtyard was empty, but the sound of children’s voices came from the classrooms on the first floor.
She saw two classes where kids were interacting with their teachers.
Thankfully, her presence didn’t disrupt the lessons.
The older children had been sent to a nearby elementary school, while the younger ones—who hadn’t had the chance to experience kindergarten—were eagerly participating in the activities the teachers had arranged.
An Yizhu quickened her pace and bounded up to the second floor.
At the top of the stairs was a room labeled Principal’s Office, now occupied by Director An Lan. But she wasn’t inside at the moment.
An Yizhu followed the hallway to the very end, where she heard An Lan’s voice coming from the last room.
“This should do it. The rest can wait until Xiao An comes to organize it herself.”
“Old Mom An! What are you up to?” An Yizhu hopped into the room—and was met with a room full of surprises.
The space was bright and spacious, with art supplies neatly arranged on shelves.
It was even a suite, with a small resting area inside.
This was her dream art studio!!
“Xiao An, you’re here! What do you think?” An Lan smiled at An Yizhu’s awestruck expression.
An Yizhu’s eyes sparkled. “Is this… for me?”
Worried there might be some misunderstanding, she clarified, “Is this an art studio for me?”
An Lan patted her back. “Yes, it’s for you. We just finished setting it up, and you arrived right on time.”
The assistant helping out chuckled. “Miss An, this is definitely for you. As soon as I started, Director An said she wanted to surprise you.”
An Lan introduced her. “This is the assistant assigned to us today, Miss Shi, Shi Qiaoqiao.”
“Hello, hello! I’m An Yizhu. I’ll be counting on your help here in the future.” An Yizhu said, shaking the assistant’s hand warmly.
“Hello, Miss An.” Shi Qiaoqiao replied politely.
An Yizhu then looped her arm through An Lan’s. “Old Mom An, how did you know I was coming today to ask for a room to use as an art studio? I rushed over as early as I could, but you still beat me to it!”
An Lan laughed. “After seeing you draw for everyone yesterday, I realized—you’re so talented! It’d be a waste not to put it to use. You loved drawing as a kid, but I had no idea you’d gotten this good. When did you learn?”
An Yizhu dodged the question about her sudden artistic skills but remained excited.
“It would be a waste. If you lend me this room as an art studio, I’ll come often and teach the kids too. Who knows? We might raise a few little artists here.”
“Of course! They adored your drawings last night. If they knew you were willing to teach them, they’d be thrilled.” An Lan said. “I’ll leave you to organize the rest. Qiaoqiao and I have other things to take care of.”
An Yizhu happily saw them out, then turned back to admire her new studio.
Clean and spacious!
An Lan didn’t know an artist’s habits, but she had arranged everything neatly according to her own standards.
Even the small inner room had been tidied up, transformed into a quiet, dedicated art space with its own tiny bathroom.
An Lan had put real thought into this.
In her original world, An Yizhu had never had her own art studio for various reasons. She never expected to get one like this here.
As she ran her hands over the brand-new desk, chair, and easel, she felt almost guilty—as if she were stealing the love Old Mom An had meant for Xiao An.
But she silently vowed to work twice as hard to repay that sincerity.
An Yizhu pushed aside her emotions.
She had already decided what to do first with her dream studio: bring her inspirations to life.
Last night, she had signed up for the upcoming international art competition—the Johnson Mo Painting Contest.
The deadline for the China region was in ten days.
She had to start painting immediately.
Even though she already had a clear vision in mind, oil painting required layering and detailing.
The paint needed time to dry before she could add the next layer.
She quickly gathered all the materials she needed and got to work.
The second floor remained quiet all morning.
At lunchtime, An Lan called for her repeatedly from downstairs, sent her messages, and even had a child knock on her door—but got no response.
An Lan began to panic.
What if Xiao An had another medical episode? Without even putting down her bowl, she rushed upstairs.
As she ran, she regretted placing the art studio at the far end of the second floor—so secluded and quiet.
But when she reached the door, she immediately relaxed.
A cartoon was taped to it.
A cartoon rice ball on the paper said: I’m in a crucial creative phase. I’ll come out on my own periodically, so don’t worry. If you need anything, write it here for me.
An Lan’s worry instantly turned into exasperation.
Had An Yizhu not considered that young children might come looking for her?
They couldn’t even read yet!
This ridiculous child!
She raised her fist, ready to pound on the door, kick it open, and give An Yizhu a piece of her mind—next time she pulled this stunt, she’d knock her head clean off!
But in the end, she held back.
An Yizhu rarely had something she loved this much. As her mother, An Lan wanted to support her unconditionally.
But she hadn’t brought a pen in her hurry. Spotting the rice in her bowl, she pressed two grains onto the paper as a reminder.
They stuck, but it wasn’t very noticeable.
Fine, three more then.
Any more would be wasteful.
Any fewer, and An Yizhu might miss it.
This damn kid!
An Lan ate her rice as she leisurely walked back downstairs.
Seeing everyone still waiting for An Yizhu, she shook her head. “She’s lost in her painting. Who knows what she’s creating? Let’s not wait for her. Let her go hungry!”
But as soon as she set her bowl down, she packed a thermal lunchbox with rice and dishes for An Yizhu.
Before the others finished eating, her heart softened, and she took the food upstairs, leaving it by the door.
On her way out, she glanced regretfully at the five grains of rice wasted on the paper.
“What a sin, wasting Wuchang rice like that.” An Lan sighed.
This time, she remembered to bring a pen. She scrawled in big, crooked letters:
EAT THIS NOW BEFORE I YELL AT YOU!
By late afternoon, just before sunset, An Yizhu finally came downstairs, empty lunchbox in hand.
She scampered into the kitchen to find An Lan.
Yu Guqiu had arranged for many staff members at the welfare home, but An Lan had firmly refused to hire a chef—insisting on cooking for the children herself.
And her cooking was delicious.
If not for her determination to finish the painting, An Yizhu would’ve come down to scavenge for leftovers after devouring the entire lunchbox.
Seeing An Yizhu standing beside her now—smiling brightly, empty lunchbox in hand—An Lan finally relaxed.
As long as she was fine.
As long as her appetite was healthy.
But An Yizhu’s sleeves were still stained with paint, and her clothes had a few splotches from her rushed meal.
An Lan shook her head at the sight, raising her soup ladle.
An Yizhu flinched, expecting a scolding.
But An Lan simply filled a thermal container with soup. “Take this home for Xiao Qiu.”
“None for me?” An Yizhu blinked.
“Aren’t you staying for dinner?” An Lan countered.
An Yizhu would’ve loved to, but Xie Fang was already waiting at the gate. She had texted half an hour ago, insisting on picking her up—implying that if An Yizhu didn’t show, she wouldn’t even fetch Yu Guqiu.
Clearly, this was Yu Guqiu’s doing.
“Can’t help it. My wife’s too clingy. She told Auntie Fang—the driver—to bring me back on time. I’ve gotta go.” An Yizhu fibbed shamelessly in Yu Guqiu’s absence.
An Lan didn’t doubt her. If anything, she was touched that someone as accomplished as Yu Guqiu cared so much for An Yizhu.
She fetched another thermal container.
An Yizhu eyed it curiously. “Why do we have so many of these?”
An Lan replied, “Xiao Qiu added them to the shopping list. We got several.”
An Yizhu nodded sagely. “Smart thinking. She was planning to mooch off your cooking all along.”
An Lan bonked her on the head with the ladle handle. “You brat. Not everyone’s as shameless as you. These are for the kids—to take meals and soup to school. The elementary school’s a bit far, so they can’t come back for lunch.”
“Ohhh, I see. My wife’s so thoughtful. She takes care of everything—I’m so lucky.” An Yizhu continued her brazen act, knowing Yu Guqiu wasn’t around to hear.
“You…” An Lan wanted to scold her but didn’t know where to start. An Yizhu’s cheerful demeanor was too endearing.
She added a chicken drumstick to the container. “Take this home, you glutton.”
“Hehe, thanks! See you later, Old Mom An!” An Yizhu happily grabbed both containers and left.
“Don’t come back too often, you freeloader!” An Lan called after her, smiling despite her words.
…
An Yizhu was driven back to Yu Corporation’s parking garage. Before long, Yu Guqiu emerged from the elevator, looking exhausted.
It seemed her troubles hadn’t spared her just because she’d gotten married.
An Yizhu pushed open the car door and got out from the passenger seat.
Xie Fang looked at An Yizhu in confusion.
The girl was holding two thermal containers, sprinting toward Yu Guqiu.
Couldn’t she even wait those few steps? Did she really have to run out like that?
Xie Fang froze for a moment, opened her mouth as if to say something, then closed it again, smiling.
Ah, she really had been around Xiao Qiu for too long—she’d lost some sense of romance. But this was how love should be, shouldn’t it?
“Yu Guqiu!!”
It was An Yizhu!
An Yizhu.
She wanted—her pheromones.
Yu Guqiu raised her head wearily at the sound of her name, her thoughts mechanical and numb.
Then, under the bright garage lights, she saw An Yizhu jogging toward her.
Had she applied her suppressant patch?
Why did she already feel less irritable, even before catching a whiff of that comforting licorice scent?
Yu Guqiu exhaled.
“Guess what this is?” An Yizhu held up the two thermal containers in front of Yu Guqiu.
Thermal containers.
But Yu Guqiu doubted even An Yizhu would ask such a silly question.
An Yizhu felt like Yu Guqiu’s gaze had just scolded her, but she didn’t mind at all. She handed one container to Yu Guqiu and opened the one in her own hands.
A rich, fragrant chicken soup aroma instantly overpowered the garage’s smells of gasoline and rubber.
“Old Mom An simmered this all afternoon and generously gave us two whole containers! How about we have this for dinner tonight?” An Yizhu announced grandly.
Then she quickly closed the lid and took back the container Yu Guqiu was holding.
“Come on, let’s hurry home and drink some soup!”
Though An Yizhu had no free hands left to hold Yu Guqiu’s.
Yu Guqiu still felt as if she were being led, unconsciously quickening her pace to follow.
Going home together to drink chicken soup.
Yu Guqiu couldn’t believe the image that had formed in her mind—steaming chicken soup on the table, An Yizhu grinning as she described how delicious it was, ladling a bowl for each of them.
In her meticulously minimalist home, there was suddenly a trace of warmth.
The feeling of home.
Yu Guqiu got into the car.
An Yizhu followed, sitting in the back seat with the thermal containers clutched in her arms.
Once the car started moving, she noticed Yu Guqiu wasn’t fiddling with her phone, so she tentatively asked, “Did you have a tough day at work?”
“Hm? Yeah.” Yu Guqiu hadn’t expected the question but answered anyway.
An Yizhu scratched the back of her hand. Though Yu Guqiu’s indifferent reaction was predictable, it still left her at a loss for words.
Normally, she had plenty to say—but what did she usually talk about?
Logically, since she liked Yu Guqiu, she should start pursuing her.
But… she had no idea how to pursue someone.
Especially when that someone was a wealthy CEO who lacked nothing. Any ordinary gestures of care could easily be handled by her countless assistants.
Now, stuck in this dilemma, she didn’t just struggle with “pursuing”—she even forgot how to hold a normal conversation.
Should she draft a proper “Wife-Chasing Plan”?
Yu Guqiu noticed An Yizhu’s sudden silence and, surprisingly, took the initiative to ask, “Do you need something from me?”
“Huh? No?” An Yizhu didn’t understand why Yu Guqiu would think that.
Well, if she had to ask for something, there was one thing—but she couldn’t just blurt out, “Please like me back!”
An Yizhu closed her eyes, shaking off the ridiculous thought.
“You’re usually so talkative. Why so hesitant today? Does Old Mom An need something?” Yu Guqiu pressed.
Even the “Party B” had the right to make requests—had this girl not read the prenup properly?
“Not at all! But listen, when I went to the welfare home today, Old Mom An was so happy! She’s really grateful for everything you’ve done. Even these thermal containers were your idea—now the kids can bring hot meals to school. So, as karma would have it, we two ‘kids’ get hot chicken soup too. Good deeds bring good rewards!” An Yizhu rambled on about the little things that had happened at the welfare home, her little canine teeth peeking out as she grinned.
“More like ‘hunger brings hugs’—you’re holding those containers so tight, you must be starving.” Yu Guqiu propped her chin on her hand, tilting her head to look at An Yizhu.
An Yizhu was struck by the sudden proximity of Yu Guqiu’s flawless profile and pressed her lips together.
But pretty as she was, there was one thing An Yizhu couldn’t hold back: “Yu Guqiu, did you earn that ‘Jiangcheng’s Ice Queen’ title by telling puns and dad jokes?”
She’d been roasted by this chatterbox.
Yu Guqiu’s lips curled into a smile.
An Yizhu continued animatedly describing the changes at the welfare home.
And Yu Guqiu listened quietly to her ramblings, momentarily forgetting the frustrations weighing on her mind.