Has The Live-in Alpha Stepped Up - Chapter 47
47: Going to Your Room
Although the “elopement” had been a farce, the couple ultimately turned misfortune into fortune thanks to An Yizhu’s rut.
Yu Guqiu merely turned around and said that An Yizhu was in her rut.
Some skeptical reporters still rushed forward—after all, as Betas, they couldn’t sense pheromones at all.
But An Yizhu, now irritable, shoved them away outright.
Her movements were even fiercer than when she had swatted away their equipment earlier.
The person who fell stared at An Yizhu.
Her eyes held the fury of an uncontrollable beast.
If Yu Guqiu hadn’t been holding her hand, she might have knocked down every single one of the pursuing reporters.
Even these unscrupulous media personnel dared not approach anymore.
Behind them, some Alpha and Omega colleagues had already reacted to the pheromones.
They realized that An Yizhu truly was in her rut—it wasn’t an excuse.
The laws of this world had special protections for Alphas and Omegas during their ruts and heats.
Though there were many gray areas, under the watchful eyes of live broadcasts and surveillance cameras on the streets, no one dared to openly violate the law.
Yu Guqiu and An Yizhu managed to get into the car without further trouble.
Xie Fang activated the ventilation system in the vehicle.
Watching An Yizhu struggle to change her suppressant patch, her discomfort evident as she slumped sideways in the car, she couldn’t help but ask, “Should we take Madam and Miss to the hospital?”
Under the unconscious influence of An Yizhu’s pheromones, Yu Guqiu’s face was also flushed.
But she shook her head at Xie Fang. “No need. Just take us home. These are normal reactions during a rut, especially for the first one. It’s bound to be more intense.”
Xie Fang was still worried. “Miss, I’m a Beta, so I don’t fully understand these things. But I’ve read online that Alphas can become very aggressive during their ruts. Like how Madam just pushed those people away—shouldn’t we…?”
It wasn’t that she distrusted An Yizhu.
She was just more concerned about Yu Guqiu’s safety.
“I’m sorry… Did I cause trouble for you again?” An Yizhu’s entire body burned as if she had a high fever, her discomfort overwhelming.
In her dazed state, she caught Xie Fang’s words and recalled how she had pushed someone to the ground.
Today, she had acted out violently many times.
These actions could easily be taken out of context and sensationalized online.
The only silver lining was that it seemed to provide an excuse for her recent emotional fluctuations.
Yu Guqiu watched as An Yizhu curled up on the seat, a far cry from the aggressive Alpha who had shoved people aside moments ago.
An Yizhu pressed down on her suppressant patch, struggling to control her pheromones.
But rut pheromones weren’t so easily tamed.
The patch grew damp again.
Even her eyes turned watery.
Yu Guqiu couldn’t help but feel a pang of heartache.
An Yizhu, oblivious to Yu Guqiu’s reaction, was filled with regret. Why hadn’t she realized it might be her rut?
She had secretly studied a lot about Omegas and Alphas online, with a particular focus on ruts.
If she had carried suppressants with her, she might not be suffering like this now, losing control.
Yu Guqiu quietly observed An Yizhu, her gaze shifting from the anger and hostility she had shown outsiders to regret and apology.
She could guess what An Yizhu was thinking.
She shifted closer to her.
An Yizhu heard the movement and curled up tighter.
But then, she felt a cool touch on her face.
The coolness soothed her burning skin.
It was Yu Guqiu, leaning in and resting her hand on An Yizhu’s cheek.
“Yu Guqiu,” An Yizhu called her name, afraid that her rut might drive her to do something uncontrollable.
“Hmm?” Yu Guqiu responded softly.
At the same time, a faint rose fragrance began to spread slowly through the car.
An Yizhu felt a sense of calm. The Omega’s pheromones didn’t trigger her primal instincts.
The beast within her gradually settled, and even her body temperature began to drop.
An Yizhu relaxed, her lips pressed together, no longer stubbornly resisting.
Yu Guqiu’s lips curved into a smile.
“Alphas in rut also need an Omega’s comfort. So don’t worry—you can rest for a while.”
As she spoke, her cool fingers brushed over An Yizhu’s feverish eyelids.
“Close your eyes. I’ll wake you when we’re home.”
I’ll wake you when we’re home.
Those words instantly steadied An Yizhu’s heart.
She could feel Yu Guqiu’s tenderness. Clutching her own clothes, she slowly eased her breathing.
Though Yu Guqiu had covered her eyes, even without sight, her mind was filled with images of Yu Guqiu speaking to her so gently.
Yu Guqiu sensed the faint licorice scent in the air grow sweeter and richer, and her smile deepened.
While the couple was on their way home, the internet was already engulfed in a storm of information.
The full livestream from the Jiangcheng Fengyun account was gaining millions of views.
Normally, Yu Guqiu and An Yizhu wouldn’t have attracted such massive attention.
But with nothing major happening in Jiangcheng recently, and today’s stampede incident at the prestigious Jiang University, many were eager to know what had really happened.
After this video surfaced, most netizens, believing what they saw, formed a more positive opinion of the couple.
One was a kind-hearted beauty, the young and capable head of the Yu Group, one of Jiangcheng’s major conglomerates.
The other was a bright young woman, a student at Jiang University, poised and principled—neither provoking trouble nor backing down from it.
So what if she was an Alpha who had married into the family?
They were clearly in love. To silence the gossip of the extended family, the Alpha had set aside societal prejudices and willingly married into the Yu family—was that so wrong?
The couple’s fan community exploded overnight.
Old photos from the early days of their relationship, even during the smear campaign, were dug up—and fans found them full of sweetness.
In the Yu Group’s secretarial office, the secretaries were secretly monitoring the trending topics.
Seeing how things had turned out, one junior secretary couldn’t help but laugh. “Looks like my sneak photo played a key role.”
Another secretary chimed in, “The angle you took made it obvious who took it. The fact that President Yu never called you out on it means she must’ve liked it!”
Lin Meng, sitting at her desk and diligently working through files, overheard the chatter and couldn’t resist checking her phone.
After quickly skimming through the developments, she frowned. “How did this happen?”
“What’s all this noise during work hours?”
A stern, low voice cut through the room.
It was Meng Jiagao!
Though he was only acting as temporary chairman, his management style was even stricter than Yu Guqiu’s.
Especially toward her core team—the secretarial office.
He wouldn’t hesitate to dock salaries over the smallest infractions!
The secretaries froze in panic, scrambling to regain their composure, praying he wouldn’t suddenly announce pay cuts.
Meng Jiagao strode coldly to Lin Meng’s desk and rapped his knuckles on it. “Even you’re on your phone? How disappointing.”
Lin Meng opened her mouth to explain.
But Meng Jiagao didn’t give her the chance. “My office. Now.”
The other secretaries shrank back, all feeling sorry for Lin Meng.
As Yu Guqiu’s junior from their school days, Lin Meng had been her friend before graduating with top marks and joining the Yu Group through sheer competence. She had worked diligently to secure her position as chief secretary, even earning shares in the company.
Back when Yu Guqiu was in charge, the work environment had been relaxed—time off was easy as long as it didn’t interfere with duties.
But since Meng Jiagao took over, Lin Meng had been clocking in daily, frequently summoned to his office for “lectures.”
A few days ago, she had even emerged in tears.
I really hope President Yu comes back soon…
Every secretary silently prayed for Yu Guqiu’s return.
Meanwhile, Yu Guqiu and An Yizhu had just arrived at their apartment’s parking garage.
An Yizhu stumbled, unsteady on her feet.
She felt as if she truly had a fever—after napping in the car, she was even dizzier, her head heavy and limbs weak.
As they got out, Yu Guqiu instructed Xie Fang to leave first and return to Guangying Xinghui Media to steady the team.
Without hesitation, she slung An Yizhu’s arm over her shoulder and guided her inside.
An Yizhu didn’t dare lean too heavily on Yu Guqiu and tried to pull away.
But Yu Guqiu held her hand firmly. “Don’t move. If you struggle, we’ll both fall.”
“Need any help?”
A brisk, middle-aged woman’s voice came from behind them.
An Yizhu turned to see Zhang Yuan, her briefcase in hand, jogging toward them—but she stopped short after a few steps.
“Hmm. Maybe I shouldn’t interfere.”
As a mature Alpha, Zhang Yuan was more sensitive to pheromones and knew how to handle the situation tactfully.
Yu Guqiu smiled apologetically. “Sorry, my little Alpha is in rut.”
Zhang Yuan remained unfazed, grinning. “Perfectly natural.”
Though she couldn’t help directly, she followed behind, watching as An Yizhu, though slow, managed with Yu Guqiu’s support.
Then she said, “But President Yu, since we’ve run into each other, I’d like to mention something. About the exhibition—I think we could collaborate. It’d be better than letting someone else monopolize it. What do you think?”
The implied meaning wasn’t lost on Yu Guqiu, who immediately recalled the message Si Ruxin had sent her.
If this was the case, it was exactly what she wanted. “I might be tied up the next few days, but I’ll arrange a follow-up as soon as possible.”
She guided An Yizhu into the elevator.
“That’d be perfect.” Zhang Yuan smiled. Though they weren’t close as neighbors, they knew enough about each other.
With Yu Guqiu’s word, the deal was as good as done.
She watched as the elevator doors closed.
An Yizhu didn’t fully grasp their conversation.
Remembering that Zhang Yuan was a collector with a gallery, she perked up. “Is there an art exhibition? Can I go too?”
Yu Guqiu was amused that An Yizhu, even in the throes of her rut, could spare attention for an exhibition.
She tapped An Yizhu’s forehead lightly. “Only if you recover quickly. Otherwise, you won’t be able to participate in anything.”
But she also thought of An Yizhu’s artistic talent. “I’ll take you when the time comes. You might even be able to help me.”
“Okay!” An Yizhu nodded obediently.
Her heart pounded wildly.
Was it her imagination, or was Yu Guqiu being incredibly gentle today? Completely different from yesterday.
Even her voice carried a constant warmth.
An Yizhu could hardly believe that just the day before, they had been arguing inexplicably in this very elevator—now, they stood side by side in harmony.
She glanced at their reflections in the elevator’s polished surface and met Yu Guqiu’s gaze.
An Yizhu quickly looked away.
But her guilty expression didn’t escape Yu Guqiu, who hadn’t taken her eyes off her for a second.
An Yizhu heard a soft chuckle, followed by the scent of roses drifting closer.
Her heart itched, reacting faster than her pheromones.
She muttered, “Yu Guqiu, I’m in rut.”
“I know,” Yu Guqiu replied breezily.
An Yizhu, annoyed by her nonchalance, leaned into her shoulder and whispered, “Alphas in rut eat people—especially Omegas.”
She paused, then added emphatically, “Pretty, sweet-smelling ones like you would be the first to get eaten.”
Yu Guqiu’s ears turned pink against her will.
Ding—
Just as Yu Guqiu was about to respond, the elevator doors opened.
A young delivery girl stood outside holding an insulated box, immediately spotting the intimate moment between the couple.
Her smile widened, and she instinctively stepped back, reciting the standard greeting: “Welcome home, residents.”
Her voice brimmed with amusement.
An Yizhu, who had just been teasing Yu Guqiu, turned beet red.
Of all times to be seen by an outsider!
She stiffened instantly.
Now it was Yu Guqiu’s turn to laugh.
She smiled at the delivery girl. “Thanks for your hard work.”
“Ah! Not at all!” The girl replied earnestly, watching as the couple stepped out and headed for their apartment.
Excited, she entered the elevator, pulled out her phone, and joined the couple’s fan community.
She typed enthusiastically: Because of my job, I’ve seen President Yu before—she’s always been serious. But ever since her wife came along, she actually smiled at me, a nobody! And this time, President Yu herself thanked me! It’s like getting an autograph from a celebrity couple—you get it, right?
After some editing to avoid revealing her identity, she happily posted it.
She had secretly joined the fan community after their last encounter.
Back then, it had been small, and she had become one of the “OG” members.
Now, with the influx of new fans, her old posts had been dug up and liked hundreds of times.
So many people have joined the ship, and she’s overjoyed.
Meanwhile, the two protagonists of the CP fandom had just entered their home.
Yu Guqiu first helped An Yizhu back to the guest room.
An Yizhu quickly took out suppressants and gave herself an injection.
After a while, her pheromones finally stabilized.
Once she felt better, she stepped out and saw Yu Guqiu arranging food on the table.
“Let me do it.” An Yizhu said, trying to take over the task that was usually her responsibility.
But Yu Guqiu stopped her. “Just sit.”
An Yizhu didn’t have the energy to refuse and obediently sat down.
But with nothing to do, she could only stare at Yu Guqiu—for a long time.
It was as if their roles had reversed overnight.
Was this really the kind of relationship an employer and employee should have?
“What is it? Do I have two heads now?” Yu Guqiu placed the utensils in front of An Yizhu.
By now, An Yizhu was familiar with Yu Guqiu’s teasing style. She wasn’t surprised this time and even leaned into it, saying, “Yeah, one head gets one look, two heads get two looks.”
Yu Guqiu found this amusing and raised her eyes.
The two locked gazes for a moment.
And then, they both laughed.
Finally, after this little joke, the subtle awkwardness between them dissipated.
Today’s meal had been ordered by Yu Guqiu—light but balanced, with vegetables, meat, fish, and shrimp.
An Yizhu instinctively peeled two shrimp for Yu Guqiu first.
Yu Guqiu simply watched her.
When An Yizhu handed them over, Yu Guqiu smiled faintly and ate them calmly.
Before, An Yizhu had always peeled shrimp for her, but she hadn’t paid much attention, assuming it was just an act for outsiders.
But now, she realized—An Yizhu did this regardless of whether anyone was watching. She was always consistent.
It wasn’t that An Yizhu had never shown it; it was that Yu Guqiu had never noticed.
An Yizhu continued peeling shrimp for Yu Guqiu, noticing that her appetite today was particularly good—she didn’t stop eating.
So An Yizhu peeled half a plate’s worth and piled them onto Yu Guqiu’s plate before finally starting her own meal.
Yu Guqiu ate slowly, lost in thought. When she came back to herself and saw the small mountain of shrimp on her plate, she turned to look at An Yizhu, who had just begun eating.
The shrimp tasted good, but no matter how delicious, it couldn’t compare to the warmth in her heart.
Yu Guqiu rarely took the time to savor her own emotional shifts.
She pondered.
If something so small could move her, did it mean An Yizhu liked her more, or did it mean she liked An Yizhu more?
Having grown up under Yu Shanmei’s influence, Yu Guqiu had been determined to pursue a career in research since childhood.
Even in her early years leading the Yu Group, she often went into the lab herself to study data.
Her mind was wired for analysis.
Having witnessed the collapse of her parents’ marriage, she found it difficult to grasp intangible emotions.
So as a child, she once asked Yu Shanmei: Can feelings be quantified and analyzed like data?
Yu Shanmei said no.
Before, the emotions between her and An Yizhu had been hazy—truly hard to quantify. But now, the foggy veil in her heart had been pierced by her friend’s reminder, giving her a new perspective.
She looked at the shrimp on her plate—one, two, three…
“Can’t finish them?” An Yizhu asked when she noticed Yu Guqiu holding a shrimp without eating it.
Yu Guqiu glanced at An Yizhu’s bowl—it was already half-empty, but she hadn’t eaten a single shrimp.
The dishes on the table were also arranged according to Yu Guqiu’s preferences.
Yu Guqiu put the shrimp in her mouth. “This shrimp is really good.”
“Really? Then I’ll peel them all for you.” Without hesitation, An Yizhu put down her chopsticks and started peeling shrimp again.
The entire plate was on An Yizhu’s side, and all the shells ended up on her bone dish.
But the shrimp meat all went into Yu Guqiu’s bowl.
Yu Guqiu picked up another shrimp.
How could Grandma say emotions couldn’t be quantified?
[An Yizhu, this greedy little thing, can peel all sixteen shrimp in the plate and put them in my bowl.]
Suddenly, Yu Guqiu found herself looking forward to the next time the media interviewed her about how good her relationship with An Yizhu was.
Because she had found the perfect answer.
An Yizhu finished peeling the shrimp and went back to eating.
But today, Yu Guqiu’s gaze kept lingering on her, making her a little uncomfortable.
As for how she knew Yu Guqiu was staring—she kept stealing glances herself, and every time, she was caught.
After hesitating for a while, An Yizhu finally asked, “Do you have something to say to me?”
“Did you finish today’s tasks for the animation department?” Yu Guqiu set down her chopsticks.
So it was still about work.
An Yizhu shook her head. “No.”
But as an employee, giving such a perfunctory answer wasn’t acceptable.
She added, “I woke up a little late this morning, then went to school, so I didn’t have time. But I rushed through some of it yesterday—if I work fast, I can finish everything for them today.”
Yu Guqiu nodded, but work wasn’t what she really wanted to talk about.
Seeing An Yizhu’s nervousness, she had used it as a buffer.
“I also have work to take care of today. Would you be more comfortable working in your own room?” Yu Guqiu asked.
An Yizhu felt a little confused.
Though Yu Guqiu often spoke with layers of meaning, it was rare for her intentions to be this hard to decipher.
An Yizhu chose to answer honestly. “My computer and drawing tablet are in my room, so I usually draw there.”
“Then after we eat, I’ll go to your room.” Yu Guqiu made the decision outright. She even stood up and packed all the shrimp An Yizhu had peeled into a container, storing them in the fridge.
Not a single one was left for An Yizhu.
An Yizhu, of course, didn’t notice—because her brain had short-circuited at Yu Guqiu’s words.
“Huh? C-Come to my room? Yu Guqiu, you…” Do you know I’m in rut?
An Yizhu didn’t voice the second half of the question.
Because she had already asked it in the elevator—Yu Guqiu knew.
Yu Guqiu smiled and waved at An Yizhu. “I’ll leave the kitchen to you. I’ll go back to my room first and come find you later.”
An Yizhu sat up straight.
The moment Yu Guqiu left, she even caught a whiff of a sweet rose fragrance.
An Yizhu felt dazed—was this real, or was she imagining it?
What was happening?
Yu Guqiu was actively planning to come to her room—during her rut?
What was she coming to do?
An Yizhu’s heart pounded wildly.
She didn’t know when the suppressants would wear off.
Or if they already had.
Her body was hot, the back of her neck was hot, her head was hot, and her heart was even hotter.
No, no—calm down.
Yu Guqiu had just asked about work.
Maybe she was just coming to discuss work.
Click.
Yu Guqiu returned to her room and locked the door.
The soft sound of the lock made An Yizhu shiver.
No matter what Yu Guqiu planned to do, the fact that she was coming was already set in stone.
An Yizhu urged herself to act quickly.
She cleared the table, putting the dishes in the dishwasher, packing leftovers, and taking out the trash—everything was tidied up.
Then she rushed back to her room to clean.
Her excitement made all the negative symptoms of her rut vanish.
She worked fast, straightening her already neat bed.
She organized the scattered items on her desk.
Remembering she had fallen asleep at the desk last night, she even wiped it down thoroughly.
It was like she was inviting her girlfriend over for the first time—she wanted to leave the best impression possible.
But looking around the room—already spotless—An Yizhu didn’t know what else to do.
In the end, she decided to open her computer, pull up the animation department’s folder, take out her drawing tablet, and load her previous drafts.
Even if Yu Guqiu really was just coming to inspect her work, she would face her with 100% professionalism!
Stay calm. Be confident.
Knock, knock, knock—
Someone rapped on the door.
“Already? That fast?!” An Yizhu muttered in shock.
All thoughts of calm and confidence flew out the window.
Flustered, she spun in place before glancing around the room one last time, confirming the ventilation was on.
Then she took several deep breaths before the door.
She opened it before Yu Guqiu could knock again.