Has The Live-in Alpha Stepped Up - Chapter 34
34: Secret Mission
An Yizhu was suddenly granted permission. Though surprised, she didn’t hesitate for even a second and immediately stepped forward.
With one arm, she pulled Yu Guqiu into an embrace.
Yu Guqiu’s coat was made of thick fabric, but she still felt slender in An Yizhu’s arms.
Unlike the seated hug from earlier that morning, this face-to-face embrace brought them even closer.
Their heartbeats intertwined against each other’s chests.
An Yizhu’s hand unconsciously tightened, as if trying to convey even more of her feelings.
Meanwhile, Yu Guqiu, having regained her composure after a brief respite, quietly rested her head against An Yizhu’s shoulder.
But then she noticed An Yizhu’s right hand holding a plate of fruit high in the air.
The girl was stiff as a statue, yet she still made sure to keep all the softness reserved for Yu Guqiu.
Yu Guqiu couldn’t help but laugh at the sight. “Are you planning to hold that plate of fruit forever?”
An Yizhu didn’t even see anything wrong with it and simply replied, “I’m not tired!”
Yu Guqiu tilted her head to look at An Yizhu, whose expression remained utterly guileless.
She sighed in amusement.
Ah, this human-shaped suppressant I picked up is sometimes so clever, yet other times so silly.
“Put the fruit down first,” Yu Guqiu patted An Yizhu’s arm, no longer intending to maintain this posture. “I’m feeling much better now.”
Reluctantly, An Yizhu released her hold, but instead of putting the plate down, she extended it toward Yu Guqiu. “You didn’t eat much for dinner. Would you like something sweet first?”
“Mm, just leave it here.” Yu Guqiu nodded. “I’ll handle some work here.”
Compared to the cold, impersonal study, she’d much rather stay on the sofa right now.
But after saying this, she noticed An Yizhu still hadn’t moved.
Sensing the girl’s persistence, Yu Guqiu picked up a fork, speared a strawberry, and took a bite.
Only then did An Yizhu finally set the plate down on the coffee table and hurry off to fetch Yu Guqiu’s tablet.
By the time she returned, Yu Guqiu was already on her phone, dealing with messages.
An Yizhu placed the tablet on the table, then went to heat a glass of milk. Since they hadn’t had time to go grocery shopping yet, this was also part of the meal delivery they’d received earlier.
After setting down the warm milk, An Yizhu glanced around but couldn’t find anything else to do. She prepared to retreat to her room as usual, giving Yu Guqiu her space.
She wanted Yu Guqiu to know she was always available for companionship, but she also understood that someone as independent as Yu Guqiu might prefer not to be disturbed excessively.
But just as An Yizhu turned to leave, before she could even touch the doorknob, Yu Guqiu spoke up: “Where are you going?”
“I don’t want to disturb you.” An Yizhu explained her thoughts.
Yu Guqiu frowned.
This “contractor” still didn’t seem clear about the scope of her responsibilities.
“Sit here.” Yu Guqiu patted the spot beside her on the sofa, designating the position for this human-shaped suppressant.
Wait, this is a good thing?
An Yizhu immediately turned back and plopped down on the assigned spot.
A little too enthusiastically.
The sudden impact jolted Yu Guqiu’s phone, nearly causing her to drop it. For a brief moment, she regretted letting this overly energetic youngster sit so close.
Buzz—
Yu Guqiu’s phone vibrated.
She picked it up and pointed at the dining table. “Get my glasses from the briefcase.”
Then, holding the tablet in one hand and answering the call with the other, she began confirming details: “Which step has this document been reviewed up to?”
Understanding that Yu Guqiu was about to dive into a pile of documents, An Yizhu hurried off to fetch the glasses.
She’d seen Yu Guqiu retrieve the glasses case from the front zipper of her briefcase before, so it was easy to find.
When An Yizhu returned with the glasses, Yu Guqiu was still confirming details with the person on the other end.
An Yizhu handed them to her.
Yu Guqiu glanced at her, then tilted her head to trap the phone between her shoulder and chin, freeing up her hands to work on the documents while continuing the call. “Also, today’s trending posts need to be managed. We can’t let anyone with ulterior motives amplify the negative impact. If Guangying Xinghui wants to grow rapidly, the resistance it faces won’t be any less than what Yuhe Pharmaceuticals encountered.”
She had no hands free to take the glasses.
An Yizhu knelt down slowly, holding the glasses.
The metal frames felt cool at first but gradually warmed under her fingertips.
Yu Guqiu didn’t even notice An Yizhu’s movements, still typing away on the documents.
The bright overhead light shone on her like a spotlight.
Yu Guqiu, focused on her work, was different from her usual silent self. She was wholly absorbed in handling these headache-inducing files.
Though the documents exhausted her, they also made her shine. Every decision and instruction she gave was delivered with confidence and decisiveness.
An Yizhu watched as if admiring a painting, already imagining recreating this scene on canvas someday.
No—she greedily wanted to capture every moment of Yu Guqiu on canvas.
During a lull in the call, Yu Guqiu’s gaze shifted and landed on An Yizhu, who was kneeling in front of her.
An Yizhu met her eyes and froze, realizing she’d been staring. Instantly flustered, she even forgot her original task of helping Yu Guqiu put on her glasses.
Yu Guqiu had initially intended to let An Yizhu wait beside her until she finished the documents and had free hands.
But seeing An Yizhu’s reaction, Yu Guqiu’s eyes flickered. She set the phone to speaker mode and placed it down.
Yet she still didn’t take the glasses, only asking, “Are you going to help me put them on? If you’re not looking at me, how will you manage it?”
An Yizhu confirmed this was directed at her and raised her head again, meeting Yu Guqiu’s gaze.
The employee on the other end of the call, having only caught Yu Guqiu’s voice, panicked and stammered, “President Yu, I haven’t found the document yet. Just a moment, please.”
An Yizhu pouted. Though there were only the two of them in the room, the speakerphone gave her the illusion of being watched.
Fine! If she wants me to help, I’ll help!
An Yizhu straightened up.
She guided the temples of the glasses toward Yu Guqiu’s ears.
The metal arms, already warmed by her hands, brushed against Yu Guqiu’s skin.
An Yizhu’s fingertips deliberately traced around the stray strands of hair before gently settling the glasses onto Yu Guqiu’s ears.
She even tucked the loose hair behind Yu Guqiu’s ears, smoothing it down along the curve.
She knew exactly how ticklish this would feel.
She admitted—this move was entirely self-serving.
Only by brushing the hair aside could she see the blush creeping up Yu Guqiu’s ears, betraying her own lack of composure.
Hmph! It’s not just me who’s flustered!
Even if Yu Guqiu had orchestrated this, she wasn’t as calm as she pretended to be.
An Yizhu finished by adjusting the glasses along Yu Guqiu’s straight nose.
“There, President Yu,” she said playfully.
Yu Guqiu hadn’t expected this little counterattack but only responded with a soft “Mm.”
The employee on the call heard the exchange clearly this time and fell silent.
What the—so the newlyweds are just flirting?! Who feeds people dog food like this? I’m reporting this to headquarters!
Forget controlling negative publicity—why don’t you just livestream it and shove the sweetness right in everyone’s faces?!
Yu Guqiu absentmindedly smoothed her already-neat hair and continued speaking to the person on the call. “Team Leader Fang, I’ve seen the livestream proposal you sent. I know livestreaming is mainstream now, but the content must be carefully controlled.”
“Ahem—yes, President Yu.” Team Leader Fang, caught off guard, choked on her saliva but quickly recovered.
Before ending the call, Yu Guqiu added, “Let the online posts ferment for now. We’ll ride the wave of attention. You can follow up on your task tomorrow. That’s all for today—thank you for your hard work.”
Team Leader Fang was stunned. She’d never interacted directly with the company president before and hadn’t expected her to be this kind of leader.
When she’d been told to prepare for a late-night conference call, she’d braced herself for an all-nighter. Now, with this sudden reprieve, she was overjoyed.
“Thank you, President Yu! Long live President Yu!!” she cheered before hanging up.
An Yizhu could practically hear the employee’s thoughts and chuckled. “She sounded completely different once she realized she didn’t have to work overtime.”
Yu Guqiu paused her work to take a sip of the now-lukewarm milk. “Grandmother always said adequate rest allows people to perform at their best. So, in principle, Yu Corporation doesn’t approve of overtime. We’re not in a life-or-death situation yet.”
“Then what happens in a life-or-death situation?” An Yizhu was curious.
“Pay extra.” Yu Guqiu’s answer was straightforward.
An Yizhu suddenly understood why the media company had continued operating smoothly even after losing its core leadership. With a solid corporate structure in place, employees naturally maintained operations without needing constant top-down directives.
In contrast, the conglomerate had descended into chaos after the power struggle between the three factions.
Yu Guqiu set down the milk and prepared to resume work.
An Yizhu watched as Yu Guqiu kept working, staring at the tablet for a long time.
She wondered what the odds were of getting beaten if she snatched the tablet away right now.
But getting beaten wasn’t the main concern—the real issue was whether it would interfere with important matters.
Just as An Yizhu was debating whether to act impulsively, Yu Guqiu didn’t give her the chance. After finishing her work, she voluntarily put the tablet away.
Good news: Yu Guqiu seems ready to rest.
Bad news: Today’s time with Yu Guqiu is about to end.
An Yizhu’s disappointment was written all over her face, her smile tinged with bitterness. She was so transparent.
Yu Guqiu felt the urge to tease her again.
It was strange.
Originally, she’d only been dissatisfied with An Yizhu dictating the rhythm of their interactions, so she’d frequently disrupted it on purpose.
But now, An Yizhu was entirely within her control.
As an Omega, why did she keep wanting to tease this Alpha who was only living with her because of a contract?
Was this normal?
Yu Guqiu already knew the answer.
Though she hadn’t had time to reflect deeply, a vague understanding had taken root in her heart.
It’s normal—because I have a natural fondness for An Yizhu.
Yu Guqiu had previously attributed her innate liking for An Yizhu to their high compatibility in pheromones.
Until one moment when she asked herself a question:
If An Yizhu and I had low pheromone compatibility, would I still have invited her to marry into my family after meeting her?
Perhaps not on that rainy night.
But if, in another context, she’d still needed to make a choice, the answer would have been yes.
An Yizhu was her best option.
The process of confirming this answer was also the process of Yu Guqiu gradually learning to trust An Yizhu.
Her brain’s defense mechanisms had flagged every possible risk, only to end up with an inescapable “what if.”
So Yu Guqiu knew—her fondness for An Yizhu had grown to the point where it overrode all the negative associations other Alphas had left her with in the past.
When she looked at An Yizhu, all she thought was: This is a sweet, soft girl.
A girl who would apologize for being affected by pheromones and who would feel hurt when treated unpredictably.
Deep down, Yu Guqiu felt a twinge of guilt. Her capriciousness was a form of self-protection, even if it came at An Yizhu’s expense.
But she planned to save that apology for the day their contractual relationship ended.
Yu Guqiu stared at An Yizhu, who was now unsure what to do with herself, her thoughts drifting further.
The effects of her heat always made her mind wander into all sorts of sentimental musings.
Meanwhile, An Yizhu needed no external influence to overthink.
Noticing that Yu Guqiu hadn’t returned to her room but was still staring at her, she began questioning herself: Did I do something weird again? Should I try to keep her here? Maybe if I act like a clingy child and whine, she’ll soften and stay with me a little longer.
“Come to my room in an hour.”
While An Yizhu was still agonizing, Yu Guqiu spoke.
If An Yizhu hadn’t been looking directly at Yu Guqiu, watching her lips move in sync with each word, she might have thought she’d misheard.
Yu Guqiu offered no further explanation, nor did she linger to observe An Yizhu’s rapidly shifting expressions. She simply returned to her room and closed the door.
Click.
She even locked it.
How heartbreaking!
How could Yu Guqiu invite her over while also locking the door to keep her out? Did she think An Yizhu would ambush her?!
An Yizhu grumbled inwardly, then turned and caught sight of her reflection in the floor-to-ceiling window. Even the semi-transparent glass clearly captured her cheekbones, lifted so high they might as well be soaring to the moon.
Well, it’s not Yu Guqiu’s fault for misunderstanding—it’s mine for being so bad at hiding my emotions.
An Yizhu wasn’t sure if she’d always looked this hopelessly smitten from the start.
But she was certain that if she could remain composed, it wouldn’t be love.
She wasn’t that good of an actress.
An Yizhu took her bath and changed clothes with unusual care.
Back in her room, she even rummaged through her lotions and skincare products, slathering all the nicest-smelling ones on herself.
She knew this was a little silly, but she needed something to distract herself during the wait—something she deemed meaningful.
When the digital clock on her desk hit the one-hour mark, she sprang up from her chair.
She dashed out of her room at lightning speed.
At Yu Guqiu’s door, she deliberately slowed her breathing, pretending she hadn’t been in a hurry.
I’ll wait a whole minute before knocking… Fine, ten seconds.
Ten—nine—eight—
Knock knock knock—
An Yizhu admitted she had no self-control.
Click.
The doorknob turned, and the door opened.
Yu Guqiu stood on the other side, still wearing her glasses—clearly not yet resting.
“?!”
An Yizhu was startled.
How’d Yu Guqiu open the door so fast?!
Ah! I get it!
My footsteps must have given me away again!
Yu Guqiu definitely heard me running over!
Then my three-second delay before knocking must’ve looked super suspicious!
But An Yizhu didn’t dare ask.
Since she didn’t ask, Yu Guqiu didn’t volunteer that she’d indeed walked to the door upon hearing An Yizhu’s footsteps.
But when no knock came, she’d nearly pressed her ear against the door to listen for movement outside.
The thought made Yu Guqiu want to laugh.
I’m a fully grown adult, yet An Yizhu has me acting like a kid.
Yu Guqiu opened the door and walked away without a word.
An Yizhu followed behind.
Yu Guqiu was still wearing that same spaghetti-strap nightgown.
With the weather warming up, the shawl had become decoration, casually draped over the back of a chair.
The nightgown itself had no deliberate tailoring—loose and casual, only outlining Yu Guqiu’s legs and hips when she walked quickly.
[How can someone look this good in such simple sleepwear?]
An Yizhu marveled inwardly.
She couldn’t tell if this was just her bias talking.
But she was certain that if she posted a photo online with the caption: Can my wife be a model?
The answer would be a resounding yes.
Then again, if I had such a photo, I’d never post it online! No one gets to see!
An Yizhu appeared calm on the surface but was chattering nonstop in her head.
Fortunately, Yu Guqiu couldn’t read minds. She returned to her desk.
An Yizhu wasn’t sure whether to call it a work desk or a vanity.
Last time she’d been here, the table had been empty except for a mirror and a few skincare products and cosmetics.
Now, it was covered with a laptop and stacks of documents.
Yu Guqiu, the workaholic, must’ve been at it for a while. She hadn’t been resting—just relocating her work.
Watching Yu Guqiu type away intently, An Yizhu couldn’t bring herself to interrupt. She could only wait quietly.
She didn’t even know why Yu Guqiu had summoned her to the bedroom.
For Yu Guqiu, it might’ve just been about having her human-shaped suppressant on standby.
But for An Yizhu? She didn’t need a reason—just being near Yu Guqiu made her happy.
With nothing else to do, An Yizhu let her gaze wander until it landed on something unusual on the desk—the “cartoon ID”!
It was clipped to a small metal stand, the kind used for holding notes.
The stand was minimalist—just a single slender metal wire.
Or rather, a flexible metal filament.
Every slight vibration from Yu Guqiu’s typing made it sway.
Back and forth, as if the “frosty Yu Guqiu” on the card was shaking her head cutely!
Yu Guqiu is so clever!
Why didn’t I think of using something like this to display the card?
Yu Guqiu sensed someone approaching behind her—who else could it be?
She glanced up through the mirror’s reflection and saw An Yizhu peeking over her shoulder like a sneak thief.
“What are you looking at?” Yu Guqiu paused her work and turned to face her.
Though interrupting Yu Guqiu hadn’t been her intention, An Yizhu couldn’t help feeling secretly pleased. She grinned proudly. “Seems like you really like this portrait! Is it because I drew it well?”
Of course Yu Guqiu liked it—enough to dig out a small promotional giveaway from the property management team when she’d moved in, just to display it.
It was because An Yizhu had drawn it well.
And because Yu Guqiu wanted to remember the lovely moments they’d shared in the courtyard whenever she felt down.
Yu Guqiu wouldn’t tell An Yizhu that she’d also eaten the candy given to her that day—and kept the wrapper in an empty jar.
For no particular reason, she’d tossed it into the jar for safekeeping. Maybe one day, she’d throw the jar and wrapper away—but not today.
An Yizhu’s smug little smile widened.
Yu Guqiu swiveled her chair to face An Yizhu directly.
The sudden movement made An Yizhu instinctively shrink back.
She didn’t know if Yu Guqiu had noticed, but since her heat began, she’d been unconsciously seeking closeness. For Yu Guqiu, it might’ve just been a way to stabilize her pheromones—but for An Yizhu, it was lethal.
Her heart pounded so hard it might leap out of her chest and stick itself to Yu Guqiu.
Yu Guqiu, accustomed to An Yizhu’s unwavering gaze, poked her shoulder with a fingertip.
The light touch still made An Yizhu retreat a step.
While typing something on her phone, Yu Guqiu said, “You did draw it well. After the orientation the day after tomorrow, I can arrange for you to visit the animation department too.”
“What?” An Yizhu hadn’t expected this. She’d been afraid of exposing her identity, so she’d never brought it up—yet here it was, falling into her lap.
If she could stay in the animation department, it’d be like a fish returning to water.
Yu Guqiu misinterpreted her surprise. “You didn’t forget, did you? Auntie mentioned it to me—it’s the day after tomorrow.”
“I remember! It’s in the company app notifications.” An Yizhu pulled out her phone.
Yu Liu was thorough—she’d personally sent the reminder.
Yu Guqiu nodded and forwarded a file to An Yizhu.
Titled “Employee Records.”
An Yizhu opened it and saw the names, ages, tenure, and even ID photos of everyone at Guangying Xinghui Media.
This is… a bit much? It’s not like I’ll offend anyone at the company—no need to memorize everyone in advance.
Yu Guqiu didn’t let her wonder for long. “Originally, bringing you into the company was just to keep you from school and make it easier to coordinate with my work. But after today’s meeting, there’s a new task for you.”
An Yizhu suspected this “task” might not have been conceived today. Given Yu Guqiu’s scheming nature, she’d probably had a plan when she first arranged for An Yizhu to join the company.
But that didn’t matter to An Yizhu.
“What task?”
Yu Guqiu saw the excitement ignite in An Yizhu’s bright eyes.
She couldn’t help but smile.
This girl is a workaholic in her own way.
“At today’s meeting, everyone was shocked by my plan to revive Guangying, but they didn’t react much to the ROI reports. Either they already knew the entertainment industry’s potential, or they’ve planted moles in the company.
“Auntie and I can only see employee lists and performance metrics—we can’t judge loyalty. But you’re different.”
Yu Guqiu laid out the situation.
“So I’m an undercover agent! Wait, no—more like an incognito inspector. But that doesn’t make sense either. Even if I start at the bottom, people will know I’m your proxy.
“And even if my identity isn’t public, everyone at the meeting and the wedding knows what I look like. If there are moles, I won’t be able to spot them.”
An Yizhu wanted to help, but she knew her limits.
She could charge headfirst into battle for Yu Guqiu, whether it meant yelling at people or being yelled at.
But something requiring experience and skill? She wasn’t ready for that yet.
Yu Guqiu shook her head with a laugh. “I’m not asking you to catch anyone. Just stir the pot—you’re good at that.”
[Am I?]
An Yizhu wasn’t sure she had that skill, but at least she understood she wasn’t being asked for brainpower.
“Then what’s with this list…?”
“Memorize it if you can. You don’t need to catch anyone, but if you notice anything unusual, you can report back to me. Consider this your ‘secret mission.’”
A secret mission!
An Yizhu nodded eagerly. “Got it! Mission accepted!”
As expected, kids are easily roped in by “secret missions.”
Yu Guqiu mused that starting the day after tomorrow, An Yizhu wouldn’t be awkwardly struggling for conversation like yesterday.
She now had the perfect excuse to chatter endlessly about her experiences at the company, painting vivid pictures of her daily life from her own perspective.
At this moment, An Yizhu cleared her throat and suddenly said, “So… should we go to bed now?”
She added, “This is my primary mission.”
Yu Guqiu watched as An Yizhu averted her eyes.
With a soft chuckle, she shook her head.
Even urging me to sleep comes with a perfectly valid excuse.