Stepmom Alpha’s Guide to Raising Kids - Chapter 23

Lu Luozhu was deprived of her sight, her hands bound together with just the right amount of restraint, kneeling in a posture of complete submission.

Her lips brushed against a soft gland, its scent so intoxicating it made her mouth water. Nearby, the sound of her child playing with a squeaky toy echoed—each press of the frog’s belly elicited two cheerful croaks.

Further away, the crew bustled about, their shoes muffled against the dusty floor with soft thuds. The faint clatter of equipment being moved could be heard in the background.

Lu Luozhu’s nerves were stretched to the limit. If anyone were to push the door open now, they’d witness a scene explosive enough to land both of them on the trending list.

“Quit dawdling. Hurry up.”

Qi Zi urged, her voice low. “Didn’t you say you wanted to serve me well? Or was that just empty talk?”

The omega feigned fierceness, though her trembling lashes betrayed her fear.

“As you wish, my dear Teacher Qi.”

The gland at the back of her neck was treated with tenderness. Qi Zi bit her lip, her entire body shaking uncontrollably, tears welling at the corners of her eyes.

“Y-you—hurry up. You’re terrible at this.”

Her words were sharp, but her voice was softer than spring water.

Lu Luozhu remained silent, focused on her task, pressing her bound hands against Qi Zi’s thighs as if to silently soothe her.

Since it was the boss’s request, as the kept canary living off her, Lu Luozhu had no reason to refuse. Besides, she didn’t dislike marking Qi Zi. To her, the act of biting someone’s neck was so intimate it almost felt like they were in a relationship.

But that wasn’t the case. Qi Zi was merely using her alpha pheromones to alleviate her condition—Lu Luozhu was just a remedy. All she had to do was play her role as the medicine.

She carried out her duties meticulously, her movements textbook-perfect, as if following a guide on how an alpha should temporarily mark an omega.

No unnecessary actions, no reckless impulses—just restraint and a barely perceptible hint of ambiguity.

What Lu Luozhu saw as restraint, however, was pure torment to Qi Zi.

“Mmm—! Y-you’ve had enough!”

“Apologies, Teacher Qi. Please bear with me a little longer. It’ll be over soon.”

Marking her while calling her “Teacher” and repeatedly apologizing for the offense—how absurd!

Disgraceful!

Reckless fool!

Qi Zi slumped weakly against her, already regretting her decision.

……

Qian Qianqian paced outside the room. “What’s going on? They still haven’t come out.”

Qi Xin, munching on a lunchbox, replied, “No idea, but I heard some… questionable noises inside.”

As the junior in the crew, Qi Xin knew she had to stay visible in front of her seniors. She had grabbed an extra lunchbox for Qi Zi, only to see Lu Luozhu enter first, carrying what looked like a homemade meal in a thermal container.

Qian Qianqian frowned. “Questionable noises?”

Qi Xin: “Teacher Qi told Lu Luozhu to kneel.”

Qian Qianqian: “!!!!!!”

Qi Xin gnawed the last bit of meat off a chicken leg. “Maybe I misheard?”

Qian Qianqian’s frantic steps halted, her hands trembling slightly as she clutched the schedule.

No way, no way!

Although Qi Zi’s personality might be a bit hard to approach, at heart she’s a good kid. She couldn’t possibly be bullying Madam in the film crew, could she?

If this got out, their rivals would have plenty of ammunition for smear campaigns.

Qian Qianqian sat beside Qi Xin, starting to pull at her hair.

“Look on the bright side,” Qi Xin said between mouthfuls of food, making one wonder if she’d come to the set to act or just to eat. “Maybe it’s just some game between the lovebirds.”

The moment these words left her mouth, Qi Xin felt the entire world fall silent, even the wind stopped blowing.

Qian Qianqian stood up expressionlessly. “Impossible. Absolutely impossible.”

She knew exactly what kind of person her Qi Zi was. Being forced to marry Lu Luozhu was already the ultimate humiliation for her. While most female celebrities gain career benefits from marrying into wealthy families, Qi Zi got nothing. Lu Luozhu might appear to be the sole heiress of her family, but she was actually an adopted daughter with minimal family resources invested in her. To make matters worse, she was a shallow, vapid fool who knew nothing beyond showing off and putting on airs.

As part of this partnership, Qi Zi actually had to support her instead.

How preposterous.

The more Qian Qianqian thought about it, the more wrong it seemed. She cursed under her breath where she stood.

Qi Xin watched the suddenly agitated top-tier agent with bewilderment.

Then she saw Qian Qianqian—one of the industry’s most respected agents—stick her butt out as she peeked through a crack in the window to spy on the scene inside.

Qi Xin: “.”

She knew the entertainment industry was complicated, but she never expected the pervert to be right beside her.

Passing director: ?

Oblivious to others’ gazes, Qian Qianqian squinted through the narrow window gap to see inside.

An alpha with eyes blindfolded and hands tied knelt on the cold floor. Having apparently just finished marking, she was now nuzzling her lips against the omega’s already withered scent gland.

“Teacher Qi, are you satisfied with my service?”

“Passable,” the omega replied, struggling to maintain a cold tone. “From now on, you’re not allowed to spread rumors about me outside. Understood?”

The alpha smiled: “This mouth of mine misbehaves.”

The omega seemed to want to say more but ultimately muttered, “Your mouth indeed can’t stay put.”

Even kneeling, the alpha’s upright posture didn’t appear awkward or pitiful—rather like a dog lowering its head for its owner’s touch.

The omega gently pushed the alpha’s head away. From her angle, Qian Qianqian couldn’t see Qi Zi’s expression clearly, only watching as she took out disinfectant wipes to clean her scent gland before applying a discreet scent patch.

But the hand holding the patch trembled slightly.

Just those brief glimpses shattered Qian Qianqian’s worldview.

Unable to hear their conversation clearly, she could only see Lu Luozhu’s blindfolded eyes and bound hands, her cheeks and ears flushed red—had she been hit?

Dizzy with shock, Qian Qianqian was about to withdraw when the back of her head knocked against the window frame.

Thud.

“Who’s there?!”

Qi Zi suddenly looked up while Lu Luozhu remained kneeling, appearing perfectly docile.

Qian Qianqian quickly pulled back, looking down to see Qi Xin attempting to eat another boxed meal, and promptly shooed her away.

“Go on, get out of here.”

Baffled by the sudden dismissal, Qi Xin didn’t forget to tuck away the meal she’d originally meant to bring to Qi Zi.

Qi Zi forcefully pushed open the door to find Qian Qianqian squatting alone by the entrance, staring at her phone.

Qian Qianqian looked up dazedly, “Hmm?”

Qi Zi: “Just now…”

Qian Qianqian tapped at her schedule, “The sanatorium room is ready. Should I pick you up after the wrap party?”

Seeing no suspicious figures at the doorway and noting Qian Qianqian’s oblivious expression to the earlier commotion, Qi Zi simply replied, “Got it.”

The door slammed shut behind her with a bang. Qian Qianqian turned back in confusion, murmuring to herself, “Was I too harsh on Lu Luozhu before? She’s actually quite decent.”

Inside the room.

Lu Luozhu: “Teacher Qi, could you untie the ribbons from my face and hands? My reputation doesn’t matter, but I’d hate for busybodies to misinterpret this scene and think you’ve been corrupted by your little canary. We’d have another Twitter trial on our hands, and no amount of explanations would suffice—except maybe bringing out our child as proof.”

As if to punctuate her words, distant frog croaks echoed twice.

“You could’ve easily torn those ribbons off yourself. Stop pretending.” Qi Zi bent down to undo the knots, struggling to keep her waist from trembling.

The ties weren’t fastened tightly—a slight struggle would have freed her. Yet Lu Luozhu had kept her wrists obediently together. Her knees were already flushed red. The sweet floral scent of alpha pheromones still lingered in her mouth as she removed the blindfold. Leaning casually against the side table with a humble smile, she asked, “Shall we eat my cooking now?”

Qi Zi: “…Mm.”

“You’re really becoming a food blogger?”

After what just transpired between them—though Lu Luozhu had been fulfilling her marking duty—their play had crossed certain lines. Now clear-headed, Qi Zi felt a pang of guilt. Alphas weren’t meant to be restrained, yet Lu Luozhu had complied without resistance. There was no way she wasn’t upset.

Clutching the lunchbox, Qi Zi braced for accusations or even insults. The mingled pheromones still hung thick in the air, and she secretly wished this fragile peace could last just a little longer.

Lu Luozhu scooted closer, tapped her phone a few times, then slid it toward Qi Zi—displaying a payment QR code.

“Teacher Qi—”

“Don’t call me that. Use my name.”

“Qi Zi,” Lu Luozhu said, “let’s table the food blogger discussion. As for the tip… any amount will do.”

Qi Zi: “.”

Outside, Qian Qianqian crouched miserably by the door when a loud “Get out!” erupted from inside, followed by Lu Luozhu being ejected.

Staggering to her feet, Lu Luozhu met Qian Qianqian’s astonished yet remorseful gaze.

Lu Luozhu: “?”

Qian Qianqian looked conflicted. “Madam, I’ve said some awful things to you before. That was wrong of me.”

Lu Luozhu: “?”

Her mouth moved faster than her brain: “No worries. I’m just a powerless canary with nothing but looks, at everyone’s mercy wherever I go. If you truly regret it, you can always book me at the club after Qi Zi dumps me. This princess will give you a 20% discount.”

Qian Qianqian: “.”

She raised her tablet to strike, only to be intercepted by a passing director who shouted, “Calm down!”

Lu Luozhu originally planned to take the little one back, but Qi Zi had closed the door, unwilling to see her. With Qian Qian inside taking care of the child, Lu Luozhu didn’t insist. On her way out of the film set, she spotted Qi Xin eating a boxed meal.

Lu Luozhu paused, watching from a distance as the young girl stuffed a chicken drumstick into her mouth. She had a pure and innocent look about her, prettier than your average internet celebrity.

When Qi Xin had first pointed her the way earlier, Lu Luozhu hadn’t paid much attention to her appearance. Now, she realized this girl was one of the rising stars from the original story.

Qi Xin wasn’t well-liked on set—she had neither seniority nor connections. While others had assistants swarming around them, she did everything herself.

The girl was kind-hearted and hardworking, brushing off the disdain others showed her.

“Thanks for showing me the way earlier,” Lu Luozhu said, stopping beside her with a warm, friendly smile that made her seem like a fox gently wagging its tail.

Qi Xin looked up, startled, nearly falling off her seat. The memory of the “kneel down” she’d overheard from the room made her ears burn slightly.

You people in the entertainment industry sure play rough.

“Sorry…” I shouldn’t have given you directions, leading you straight into a pit of fire.

Unaware of her discomfort, Lu Luozhu reached out and plucked a stray leaf from her hair.

“If you trust me, you might want to visit People’s Park tomorrow evening,” she suggested.

Qi Xin blinked in confusion. “Oh… okay…”

……

Lu Luozhu knew parts of the original story, including which people would rise to fame later. She wanted to start a talent agency.

The most pressing issue? She had no money.

Luckily, Qi Zi had just given her nearly 100,000 yuan—not a fortune, but enough for small investments or a comfortable lifestyle.

As Lu Luozhu stood by the roadside waiting for a ride, her phone buzzed with a message.

The manager of the Unicorn girl group called. “Unicorn performed in the capital last night and is preparing to return today. I heard you’re also in the city…”

After beating around the bush, the manager invited Lu Luozhu to dinner.

Having only focused on taking care of the little one and Qi Zi since morning, Lu Luozhu was starving. With nothing else to do, she hailed a cab to the hotel where Unicorn was staying.

The manager was a woman in her thirties with a great figure and refined demeanor—likely a former idol herself before going independent.

Behind her stood a few slightly nervous girls, barely adults, which was considered old for a girl group.

The manager: !!!!

Her hand trembled slightly as she held her phone.

“Hello, I’m Xun Xun. It’s an honor to meet you,” said the sweet-faced girl at the front, her voice soft but her eyes determined.

Lu Luozhu’s face was unmistakable—few in the entertainment industry shared her striking style.

Perhaps due to her past scandals, the manager’s smile nearly faltered upon seeing her.

She had imagined their investor might be some middle-aged, pot-bellied man or a shrewd female executive—never Lu Luozhu.

Just before meeting her, the manager had coincidentally stumbled upon Lu Luozhu’s latest Weibo post.

@Lu Luozhu: Bringing food to our Qi teacher. [Image]

“Seriously, sis? You’re actually live streaming now???”

“Please stop bothering Qi Zi while she’s working. (Gag)”

“Wow, just wow. Can’t make it in the entertainment industry, so now you’re turning to being an internet celebrity?”

“@Baby Go Forward, when are you guys filming the next episode? Hurry up and take this person away.”

“Am I the only one who thinks Lu Luozhu’s cooking actually looks pretty good? (Drooling cat emoji)”

“Others eat soft rice, but she makes soft rice. Impressive.”

The girl group’s manager quietly deleted the comment that said, “Wow, just wow. Can’t make it in the entertainment industry, so now you’re turning to being an internet celebrity?”

She wasn’t becoming an internet celebrity—she had become a behind-the-scenes investor.

All that online talk about her being a “caged canary” or a “gold-digger” was nonsense. The more the manager observed, the more she realized Lu Luozhu was unfathomable.

The girls of Unicorn weren’t particularly articulate, so all the social responsibilities fell on Xunxun, who wore a pleated miniskirt.

Lu Luozhu booked a private room using Qi Zi’s membership. As the investor, she didn’t let anyone else pay.

The private restaurant had a serene atmosphere and an excellent location, catering only to high-profile guests. From the entrance to the private room, they didn’t encounter a single soul—privacy was impeccable.

Xunxun was seated beside Lu Luozhu, her slender legs peeking out from under the pleated skirt, knees delicate enough to be fully encircled by a single hand.

Xunxun smiled brightly. “If it weren’t for President Lu, our group would’ve disbanded. Let me toast you first.”

Lu Luozhu had a heart condition and couldn’t drink. “I’ll substitute tea for wine.”

Xunxun’s smile grew even sweeter, and the more Lu Luozhu looked at her, the more satisfied she felt. This is the future pinnacle of domestic girl groups, she thought. My first cash cow is thriving.

Xunxun was even more exquisite than a doll in a display case, her large eyes fluttering in a way that softened hearts.

“Unicorn should consider launching some merchandise—it’d be a lucrative side income. Oh, and collaborations too. Let’s get everything rolling.”

Of course, Lu Luozhu would take her cut.

To outsiders, the way Lu Luozhu looked at Xunxun seemed a little too intense.

……

In the hallway, An Song followed a server toward their private room when she caught a glimpse of another group in her peripheral vision.

She paused, her arched brows furrowing. “Who are those people?”

Her friend, who had come along, looked puzzled. “No idea. All I saw were a bunch of long, pale, straight legs.”

An Song: “?”

An Song had a concert in the capital over the next two days and had come here with her manager and a few friends to dine while discussing the event’s details.

The manager stopped at their private room door and dismissed the server. “The person at the front looked a lot like Lu Luozhu.”

An Song frowned. “What’s Lu Luozhu doing here? Can she even afford this place?”

Manager: “Why are you so fixated on her?”

“Am not. As if she’s worth it. Hmph.”

“…”

Are you a grade-schooler?

The hallway was eerily quiet. An Song didn’t understand why she cared about Lu Luozhu at all. Maybe it was because she had a sister around Ningning’s age, or maybe it was because Lu Luozhu had looked so pale and pitiful that day, stirring some strange emotion in her. But just when she’d start to reconsider her opinion, Lu Luozhu’s sharp tongue would always deliver a crushing blow.

So beautiful, with such excellent resources from Qi Zi backing her up, yet she chooses to wallow in self-destruction.

What a hopeless waste.

An Song let her agent and friends enter the private room first, then inexplicably lingered in the hallway before heading in the direction the group had gone.

An Song and Qian Qianqian were friends, having exchanged contact information at an event.

Opening Qian Qianqian’s chat window, she typed: “Do you know where Lu Luozhu is?”

Qian Qianqian, who had been packing up in the van, paused. Her assistant turned back in confusion. “What’s wrong?”

Qian Qianqian replied with a question mark.

“Has Madam been causing trouble outside?” She typed the words, then deleted them and sent instead: “Just got out of filming. Do you need something from her?”

Qi Zi had just finished shooting the final scene. Still in costume, she hadn’t had time to change—her snow-white robes made her seem untouchable, colder than the winter wind, with a red sash tied around her waist—the same one that had once been used to blindfold Lu Luozhu.

An Song didn’t reply for a long time.

She quietly moved to the private room next to Lu Luozhu’s. The distance between each room was considerable, and the restaurant, designed in a traditional Chinese garden style, used plants and flowers as partitions, making the soundproofing less effective than solid brick walls.

Peering through the foliage, An Song saw Lu Luozhu gazing at the omega girl beside her with near-obsessive fascination.

The girl had a doll-like face, her eyes fluttering shyly whenever she looked at Lu Luozhu, occasionally breaking into bashful smiles.

Another young woman sitting to the girl’s right tried to offer a toast, but the girl subtly blocked her, taking the glass and drinking it herself.

Soon, a flush rose to the girl’s cheeks.

An Song’s pupils trembled.

When Lu Luozhu married Qi Zi, it had sent shockwaves through the entertainment industry. Who would’ve thought she’d now be openly flirting with someone else? An Song recognized the girl as the leader of Unicorn, and the others at the table were also members of the group.

Unicorn was on the rise, and as a senior in the industry, Lu Luozhu naturally felt protective of these young girls.

But Lu Luozhu—how dare she?

She wasn’t drinking herself, just letting the younger girls do it for her.

Someone needs to rein her in before it’s too late!

…

A blurry photo popped up on Qian Qianqian’s phone. Zooming in, she could make out Lu Luozhu sitting at a table with a group of people.

Frowning, Qian Qianqian couldn’t figure out An Song’s intentions.

On the parenting show, the two had been rivals. An Song’s attitude toward Lu Luozhu wasn’t exactly friendly, though not outright hostile either—they were far from being friends.

“What are you looking at?”

Qi Zi walked over, having removed her makeup, now dressed in a loose T-shirt and jeans. In one hand, she held the sash she’d bought from the set; in the other, she held Ningning’s hand, the little girl clutching a thermal lunchbox.

Qian Qianqian blurted out without thinking, “I’m looking at Madam having dinner with some girls.”

Instantly, Qi Zi’s expression darkened. “What did you say?”

Qian Qianqian flinched and handed her the phone.

“The arrangements at the sanatorium are ready. You can go anytime.”

Someone in the van urged them to hurry. Qi Zi’s grip on the red sash tightened, her usually cold fox-like eyes turning even frostier.

Qian Qianqian checked the backstage records. “Madam used your membership to book the private room.”

Used your membership to book a room—to have dinner with other girls.

Qi Zi’s nape still bore the mark left by Luo Zhuzhu. Enduring the drowsiness in her body and her lingering attachment to the alpha pheromones, she finished filming the final scene. Without even attending the wrap-up ceremony, she prepared to depart immediately for the sanatorium.

She secretly hoped Lu Luozhu would keep up the act a little longer.

The meals Xiao Zhuzi made were truly delicious.

She finished everything and even washed the dishes afterward.

Qi Zi suppressed her disappointment. “Let’s go to a restaurant.”

……

In the private room, Lu Luozhu set down her teacup. “You’re definitely going to take the industry by storm. Next month, I’ll invest another sum in you.”

Before that, Lu Luozhu planned to invest in Qi Zi’s next drama, hoping her beloved Teacher Qi would appreciate the gesture.

The girl group’s manager smiled, though her expression carried a hint of worry. Using a trip to the restroom as an excuse, she pulled Xunxun aside.

“Stop drinking. What if something happens?”

Xunxun’s smile was tinged with bitterness, but in the end, she only shook her head.

If she didn’t drink, the younger members behind her would have to drink with the investors. Hadn’t it always been like this before? First, they’d be pressured to drink, then dragged off to hotels.

It was precisely because they had refused one investment after another that Unicorn was now strapped for cash and overlooked by the industry.

Back then, they had never stepped onto a bigger stage, so it didn’t matter. But now, standing under the spotlight with fans of their own, Xunxun couldn’t bear the thought of fading back into obscurity.

The members were working hard, the manager was hustling for sponsors—they all deserved a brighter future. As the leader, she had to shoulder more.

The manager’s gaze darkened. “Did she touch you?”

Xunxun froze. “No.”

The manager had initially thought Lu Luozhu was decent, but after seeing the way she looked at Xunxun—like she was about to set her aflame—

“Just don’t drink anymore.”

Xunxun stood there, conflicted. She couldn’t trust Lu Luozhu’s character, let alone the authenticity of her marriage to Qi Zi.

She couldn’t stake everything on someone else’s conscience.

When Xunxun and the manager returned to the private room, Lu Luozhu was busy picking dishes from the table.

Qi Zi usually ate too healthy—low oil, low salt—and Lu Luozhu couldn’t stomach it. Now that she had the rare chance to indulge, she wasn’t about to hold back.

The high-end private kitchen was expensive. This single meal alone had cost her nearly eighty percent of her savings.

Of course, those savings had come from selling herself.

Just the exorbitant service fee made Lu Luozhu’s heart ache.

Xunxun sat back down beside her. “President Lu, the concert ticket revenue will be transferred to your account in two days. Thank you for your support and guidance.”

The young girl smiled at the investor beside her, but Lu Luozhu’s attention remained fixed on the food.

Authentic Jiangnan cuisine was hard to come by in the north. The crab roe lion’s head meatball—three parts fat, seven parts lean—had been slow-cooked until the flavors melted into the broth. Even the two greens beneath the meatball were exceptionally delicious.

Lu Luozhu had already eaten most of it.

Hearing about the money, her smile brightened further. After exchanging a few pleasantries, the manager tactfully mentioned they had a flight to catch that afternoon.

Lu Luozhu caught the hint. “Alright, I’ll see you off.”

Xunxun, unsteady from the alcohol, stumbled slightly. Lu Luozhu swiftly caught her by the shoulders.

Xunxun tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. Her pleated skirt swayed, revealing a leather thigh strap slightly digging into her skin.

The manager declined Lu Luozhu’s offer to escort them. Xunxun stood obediently by Lu Luozhu’s side, blocking her gaze from the other members.

Just then, a familiar figure appeared on the winding path.

Qi Zi stood beneath an osmanthus tree, silently watching the scene unfold. Her already intimidating expression had turned ice-cold at this moment.

The omega’s gaze was so aggressive that the girl group manager immediately noticed the top-tier female celebrity glaring at them with hostility. The look in her eyes felt like a thousand cuts of a knife.

Lu Luozhu rested her hand on Xunxun’s shoulder. “Qi Zi is here?”

She instinctively wanted to address her as “Teacher Qi,” but remembering how the other had rejected that form of address, she held back.

The alpha had her arm around another omega’s shoulder, a pleased smile playing on her lips. Qi Zi rarely saw Lu Luozhu so relaxed in her presence. To exaggerate a bit—if there had been a flower seed on her head, it would have bloomed into pink blossoms by now.

Qi Zi strode over in her high heels, navigating the gravel path effortlessly despite the nearly ten-centimeter stilettos.

“Luozhu, why didn’t you invite me when meeting friends?”

She came to stand beside Lu Luozhu, her fingers slipping between the other’s like swimming fish, interlacing their hands tightly.

The sudden contact sent an electric current through Lu Luozhu’s arm.

Lu Luozhu: “You told me to get lost.”

Qi Zi: “.”

The girl group members who suddenly found themselves in the middle of drama: !!!!!!

Qi Zi shot Lu Luozhu a cold glance, to which the latter responded with a gentle, docile smile.

The manager wisely led her members away first, leaving the space to the couple.

Qi Zi’s gaze flickered briefly to Xunxun, only to see the girl fleeing faster than anyone else, without the slightest hesitation—as if escaping some monstrous beast.

She didn’t seem like someone here to seduce, but rather someone here to endure a trial.

Qi Zi: ?

Seeing everyone had left, Lu Luozhu returned to the dining table. “You didn’t go to the sanatorium?”

The dishes on the table were barely touched, with Lu Luozhu having eaten the most.

This meal was paid for by Lu Luozhu as a business dinner—the standard couldn’t possibly be low, and the dishes served were all excellent.

To call it extravagant wouldn’t be an exaggeration.

Qi Zi sat in Xunxun’s seat with an inscrutable expression. She couldn’t understand this alpha.

Qi Zi sneered, “Why do you think I didn’t go to the sanatorium?”

Her alpha wife was here embracing a group of girls in revelry—was the next step to use her membership and her money to book a hotel room?

Lu Luozhu finished an entire crab meat lion’s head and reached her chopsticks toward the wild yellow croaker.

She found Qi Zi’s sarcasm baffling. “Teacher Qi’s moods change faster than autumn weather. One moment you tell me to get lost, the next you come looking for me. Surely it can’t be that the director recognized my once-in-a-millennium acting talent and wants me to replace you as the female lead?”

Qi Zi clenched her jaw tightly. Watching Lu Luozhu devour half the yellow croaker, she signaled for the staff to pack up all fifteen dishes.

Qi Zi: “Is there any point in packing leftovers?”

Lu Luozhu prepared to pay the bill with a modest smile. “Of course there’s a point. Who knows when I’ll get to enjoy such state banquet delicacies again? I’ve always been frugal—if not for hosting, I’d never dare indulge like this.”

“Lu Luozhu, can’t you speak properly?”

Qian Qianqian stood nearby, hesitating whether to intervene as the two seemed about to argue, when Qi Zi suddenly threw a card at the waiter.

“Charge it to my card.”

Lu Luozhu was momentarily taken aback, her smile growing even brighter. “Qi Zi, you’re really kind.”

Back in the car, the little one had already been taken home by the nanny. Lu Luozhu and Qi Zi sat side by side in the back seat.

The car moved quietly along the road, the atmosphere inside somewhat tense.

Qi Zi’s fingers unconsciously scratched at her jeans like a cat on a scratching post, stealing cautious glances at Lu Luozhu’s expression from the corner of her eye.

After a long silence, Qi Zi finally spoke hoarsely, “Did you invest in Unicorn?”

After her initial anger subsided, a wave of guilt washed over the omega.

She shouldn’t have interrupted Lu Luozhu’s social interactions.

Perhaps Lu Luozhu had no intention of pursuing anyone or engaging in any underhanded dealings—maybe it was just a simple dinner invitation.

Unicorn’s development was at its peak, promising unimaginable profits.

As the earliest investor, Lu Luozhu stood to gain substantial benefits.

It was a lucrative venture.

Maybe the alpha wasn’t the brainless fool she seemed, or perhaps she’d just stumbled upon a lucky break.

Lu Luozhu: “Hmm?”

Her fingers paused over the email she was typing, having missed Qi Zi’s whisper-soft words.

Qi Zi’s repeated question danced on her lips, “Does Unicorn’s captain have a crush on you?”

She wasn’t even that pretty.

In terms of looks, few in the entire entertainment industry could rival Qi Zi.

Lu Luozhu looked puzzled. “That girl just turned eighteen. She looks at everyone with starry-eyed admiration. It’s not just me—she’d probably gaze at a random dog on the street with the same intense focus.”

Qi Zi couldn’t help but laugh wryly.

The car entered a secluded sanatorium in the distant suburbs, a place so tranquil it hardly felt like the capital. Surrounded by greenery, with mountains and water nearby, the main building of the sanatorium featured a traditional double-eaved hip-and-gable roof, exuding an air of classic elegance that screamed luxury.

As the car stopped, Qi Zi stepped out first, immediately attended to by the staff. Lu Luozhu stood behind, ignored by everyone, when suddenly, as if struck by a thought, she smiled.

Qi Zi’s room had long been prepared, and medical professionals arrived to check her physical condition and test her pheromone levels.

It was Lu Luozhu’s first time witnessing an ABO world medical examination, and she found it fascinating.

“What are you standing there for? Come here already.”Qi Zi’s tone was impatient, yet soft and alluring, ‘The doctor is looking for family members.'” Don’t dawdle.”

A white-coated, masked doctor holding a clipboard nodded at Lu Luozhu as she approached.

“I need to brief you on your family member’s condition…While the exterior of the building was classic and elegant, the interior was filled with high-tech equipment. Lu Luozhu was led into a small room by the doctor. The door closed, creating a sealed space.

The doctor spoke calmly, “The patient’s body has long been deprived of alpha pheromones, which is why her condition keeps worsening. Her system can’t tolerate omega suppressants, so we have to resort to the most primitive treatment method.”

“I’ve never seen you accompany the patient before.”

“Yeah, our relationship is… special.”

“Special?”

“A special financial arrangement.”

The doctor: “…?”

The attending physician subtly probed into the nature of Lu Luozhu and Qi Zi’s relationship, seemingly trying to determine whether Lu Luozhu, as the alpha with the highest compatibility, could fulfill her responsibility of providing pheromones.

The medical records filled the pages scattered across the desk. Lu Luozhu picked one up to examine.

Most of the professional terminology was incomprehensible to her, but she could make out the seven or eight medications listed under the doctor’s orders section.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say the condition was critical.

Lu Luozhu: “The most primitive treatment method?”

……

After leaving the consultation room, Lu Luozhu’s phone rang. She initially thought it was Qian Qianqian messaging her, but upon checking, it was a bank transfer notification.

A seven-figure sum—Lu Luozhu counted it at least three times.

It was her share of the concert ticket revenue.

Tucking her phone back into her pocket, Lu Luozhu recalled the doctor’s words… Even when an omega isn’t in heat, they need companionship—slowly releasing pheromones to soothe the omega’s nerves, regulating their gland’s pheromone secretion levels. The omega must also maintain a relaxed, happy state to avoid negative emotions disrupting pheromone production.

In simpler terms: sleep together every night.

Under the covers, purely talking, making the sugar mommy happy.

Qi Zi lay curled under a fuzzy blanket on the chair, flipping through the scripts her agent had selected for her.

A dozen scripts were spread across the coffee table, none of which interested her.

The room was dead silent as she propped her head up, lost in thought.

What exactly had the doctor told Lu Luozhu? What could they have discussed for so long…

Qi Zi began to wonder if bringing Lu Luozhu to the sanatorium had been a mistake. The facility had strict access controls—no unauthorized personnel allowed. She’d never permitted Lu Luozhu to come before, and of course, Lu Luozhu had never wanted to visit such a place.

What if, after the novelty wore off, she no longer wanted to stay by her side?

She’d misunderstood Lu Luozhu today—would she be angry? Would she quit the act?

Restless and tangled in her thoughts, Qi Zi pressed a script against her face.

A knock sounded at the door. The omega peeked out from behind the script.

“Who is it?”

“Your Majesty, your concubine has come to attend to your bedtime. Might Your Majesty kindly unlock the door?”