Stepmom Alpha’s Guide to Raising Kids - Chapter 28

Lu Luozhu broke through the water’s surface, undoubtedly taking first place. She untied the buoy around her waist and handed it to the production crew.

Lu Luozhu: “So? Pretty impressive, huh?”

She stood with one hand on her hip, completely drenched, water droplets trickling from the ends of her long hair, making her already striking features appear even more radiant.

It was as if her previous gentleness had been an act—this was the real her.

The host shoved a microphone in front of her. “Congratulations, Luozhu, on taking first place! Seems like you were really looking forward to the seafood barbecue.”

Lu Luozhu responded half-heartedly, her gaze fixed on Qi Zi, who was lounging on a deck chair in the back.

The omega looked perfectly at ease, sunglasses perched on her nose, sipping from a coconut as if she were on vacation.

And she was—the sea breeze suited her beauty well.

She hadn’t even been watching Luozhu swim.

Luozhu tilted her head slightly, an inexplicable bitterness welling up in her chest.

Oh well. Bosses were always like this.

Host: “Luozhu, do you have anything to say to An Song and Bai Rui?”

Luozhu sighed inwardly, her words growing even sharper. “Oh, they’re still in the water? Must not like seafood, I guess.”

Host: “…”

Qi Zi, reclining on the deck chair, smirked faintly.

An Song, who had just crawled ashore: “…!”

Luozhu opened her mouth to say more, but the host quickly pulled the microphone away.

Please, just stop talking.

With a shrug, Luozhu gave up and pulled Ningning into her arms, adjusting the child’s seat and table that hadn’t been properly set up.

A fifty-meter swim was nothing for someone like her, who had trained in swimming before. Yet beneath her ribs, her heart thumped erratically, each beat sending a dull ache through her chest.

She’d been flirting with a brick wall.

If she’d known Qi Zi wouldn’t be watching, she would’ve taken her time.

Qi Zi watched her figure carefully and avoided heavy, greasy foods like barbecue. Luozhu had no such restrictions—while her body still allowed it, she loaded her plate with the most expensive items.

An Song’s eyebrow twitched. “You can’t possibly finish all that.”

Luozhu: “I can’t.”

An Song: “Then why waste food? Don’t blame me when the internet tears into you.”

Luozhu: “I can’t finish it alone, but I have to take care of my wife. Someone like you, who’s still single, wouldn’t understand the responsibilities of an alpha. Oh well, can’t blame you.”

An Song had been riding high since her debut, packed with endorsements and concert tours—no time for swimming or exercise. The moment she hit the water, panic set in. She flailed in place for a while before finding her bearings, but by then, Luozhu was already far ahead. Even her desperate kicks afterward couldn’t close the gap.

Her short hair dripped water, a towel draped over her head, softening her usually sharp features—now she just looked like a grumpy, wet dog.

An Song pressed her fingers to her temples.

Luozhu really had a way with words.

As the barbecue grill fired up, Ningning stared wide-eyed at the flickering charcoal flames, drool soaking her bib.

Luozhu: “Don’t touch anything yet. Mommy’s going to change. Be good and wait, okay?”

Lu Luozhu was still wearing the swimsuit she had on when she entered the water, the black fabric now dotted with yellow sand.

Her legs, pale and straight, carried a faint pink flush from recent exertion, exuding both strength and grace.

“Stop right there.”

Under the shade of an umbrella, Qi Zi lounged, enjoying her island getaway. She pushed her sunglasses up onto her forehead, arching her brows as if speaking even a single word to Lu Luozhu was a magnanimous gesture.

At least, that’s what she liked to think.

Some people appeared aloof, but their scent was practically saturated with pheromones.

“Your clothes are with me.”

Qi Zi masked her nervousness with an air of superiority. “Not bad swimming. I want grilled crab legs, garlic butter tiger prawns, and two grilled abalones.”

Lu Luozhu suddenly found a bundle of clothes thrust into her arms, failing to grasp the connection between the first four words and the following demand.

“Oh, okay.”

Qi Zi waved a dismissive hand. “Go change.”

The tone was practically a royal dismissal.

Lu Luozhu crumpled the clothes into a ball and hugged them to her chest. The shower room was empty. As hot water cascaded over her, the faint scent of sea salt, pear blossom, and ice cream—Qi Zi’s pheromones—wafted through the confined space.

So sweet, so fragrant. She wanted to take a bite.

Her fingers stilled under the water, her gaze shifting to the clothes Qi Zi had just handed her.

All of Lu Luozhu’s garments were meticulously pressed by the hotel staff, but the ones Qi Zi gave her were crumpled, as if they had been twisted and folded repeatedly.

The more wrinkled the fabric, the stronger the pheromones clung to it.

Omegas grew dependent on an alpha’s scent—and alphas were no different.

The more times she marked Qi Zi, the more intoxicating her wife’s pheromones became to her senses.

The omega was like a soft, sweet little pear blossom cake.

Lu Luozhu abruptly switched the water from hot to cold.

She was losing her mind.

In their line of work, developing feelings for a client was the worst taboo.

Shivering, Lu Luozhu quickly dried off and slipped into the dress Qi Zi had provided.

The pheromones clinging to the fabric were so potent, it was as if the dress had been soaked in omega scent.

The snug dress clung to her body, and Lu Luozhu gritted her teeth restlessly.

She really wanted to sink her teeth into something.

The elegant ivory dress draped loosely over her shoulders, cinched at the waist with a golden metal belt. The layered skirt fluttered in the breeze, resembling a jellyfish unfurling freely in the ocean.

Very canary, very delicate white flower.

It was her “work uniform,” courtesy of her sugar mommy.

In the mirror, the alpha shed her carefully crafted docile expression, her eyes now brimming with wild indifference.

A blink later, Lu Luozhu was back to playing the role of the dutiful little canary.

The little canary really wanted to live the easy life.

Emerging from the shower, her hair still damp and strands clinging to her shoulders, Lu Luozhu carried a tray in one hand and used tongs to place abalones on the grill with the other.

The little canary was quite skilled at grilling.

Before transmigrating into this novel, she had a few good friends. Knowing she couldn’t eat anything too stimulating due to her weak heart, they always let her handle the barbecue.

They never treated her like a terminally ill patient—nor like a person, for that matter.

At the thought, the corners of Lu Luozhu’s lips curled slightly.

In the Baby, Charge Ahead! livestream…

“Lu Luozhu is exuding that damn charm again, what an indecent alpha.”

“Ahhh! Lu Luozhu is so gorgeous, I suddenly get her appeal now. No wonder everyone’s trashing her family but no one’s calling her ugly.”

“Who’s behind the camera? Why does she keep smiling at it like that?”

“I admit I might have been too loud when calling this airhead out before.”

“Am I the only one who thinks Lu Luozhu has great fashion sense? Total vibe goddess material.”

“Hold up sis above me—what if it’s not that Lu Luozhu has good taste, but that these clothes don’t actually belong to her?”

“…I have the same outfit. It’s this season’s new release from a certain luxury brand. Guess who their spokesperson is?”

“Damn, wearing your wife’s clothes? Shameless.”

Lu Luozhu glanced inexplicably toward the live camera, and her child mimicked the action, staring with grape-like purple eyes—though the baby was actually looking at Qi Zi behind the lens.

“Mwah—”

The live feed carefully avoided capturing Qi Zi, whose appearance fee would be far beyond what this small production could afford. Under Qian Qianqian’s direction, the cameras shifted to focus on the other two guest pairs instead.

Meanwhile, fans in the livestream were clamoring for more, quickly propelling Lu Luozhu into trending topics with a new controversy:

#ShamelesslyWearingWifesClothes#

…

“Would my lady honor me by tasting this?”

Off-camera, Lu Luozhu placed a freshly grilled king crab leg on a plate, cooling it to the perfect temperature before offering it to Qi Zi.

Qi Zi shifted uncomfortably. “Thank you.”

Lu Luozhu: “The outfit you picked for me is beautiful. I love it.”

She began suspecting whether this dress had been literally taken off Qi Zi’s body—the omega’s pheromones were so potent they seemed to have infused the fabric. Lu Luozhu ground her teeth, which kept wanting to sink into something.

A wicked thought crossed her mind: maybe Qi Zi was deliberately tormenting her.

Qi Zi averted her gaze, savoring the sweet crab meat. “Don’t call me ‘my lady.'”

“Then… sister?”

“I’m not your sister. Stop that.” Qi Zi’s stern expression grew increasingly flushed as she shot Lu Luozhu a warning look. “You loved dresses as a child. I really thought you’d present as an omega.”

Lu Luozhu froze momentarily.

Qi Zi critiqued, “The garlic sauce isn’t spicy enough. Do better next time.” She added chili flakes herself, deftly shelling a tiger prawn with her teeth. “The orphanage had no entertainment. You’d pore over outdated fashion magazines every night, vowing to buy those clothes when you had money.”

Muttering these memories, Qi Zi sat by the crackling bonfire with Ningning nestled in her arms, occasionally stroking the child’s head. She fed the baby mildly seasoned shrimp, which Ningning happily devoured.

An omega naturally clings to the alpha who marked her. Just being near her alpha, enveloped in those pheromones, brought profound security.

Silently, the omega inched closer—then closer still—until their shoulders and arms touched.

Like a large cat curling around a smaller one, pressing close to her feline companion.

Lu Luozhu suddenly caught the intoxicating floral scent of Qi Zi’s pheromones—sweet, juicy, and utterly delectable.

Sweeter than freshly steamed king crab.

An absurd thought flashed through Lu Luozhu’s mind: perhaps Qi Zi had been holding onto this dress for so long that her rich pheromones had soaked into the fabric.

She might have misunderstood Qi Zi.

If Qi Zi truly didn’t care about her swimming, why would she watch from a hidden angle, keeping her distance?

Her sugar daddy boss had always been so contradictory.

The baby in Qi Zi’s arms was like an automatic chicken-pecking machine, barely a few teeth in her mouth yet devouring shrimp with enthusiastic “nom-nom” sounds.

Lu Luozhu was stunned.

Qi Zi had a small appetite, taking only a few delicate bites before elegantly wiping her lips with a napkin.

“Too bland. Anyone would think you’re making diet food.”

Lu Luozhu chuckled. “What can I do? Our award-winning actress is strict about her figure. She’s used to gourmet meals without MSG. If this keeps up, in a few years, the wealthy elite might start bragging about munching raw vegetables straight from the garden.”

Qi Zi: “…”

Such a sweet-talking mouth.

Lu Luozhu expected Qi Zi to retort, but instead, the woman spoke softly, “The orphanage I grew up in had poor conditions. We rarely got fresh food—just pickles and rice most days. When the meat wasn’t fresh, they’d drown it in seasoning to mask the stench.”

Her voice was so faint it might have been carried away by the wind. Lu Luozhu sat frozen, meeting Qi Zi’s emotionless fox-like eyes.

Her heartbeat quickened.

Qi Zi cupped Lu Luozhu’s face and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

“There were too many children and too little food. A little sister I knew would fight for scraps and give them to me. Looking back, it wasn’t much, but without those bites, I might not have survived.”

The sudden kiss left Lu Luozhu dazed.

She barely registered Qi Zi’s words, too lost in the sweetness of her pheromones, the softness of her lips.

Overcome, Lu Luozhu pulled Qi Zi into her arms, their mouths inching closer—until a sudden, startled “Wah!” broke the moment.

Ningning, nestled in Qi Zi’s arms, blinked up at them in confusion.

“Mommy, don’t bite Mama! QAQ”

Lu Luozhu: “…”

The mood was thoroughly shattered by the child’s outburst.

Ningning was perfect in every way—except her terrible timing. Lu Luozhu suppressed the urge to spank her, rubbing her throbbing temples instead.

Flustered by the interruption, Qi Zi turned scarlet, abandoned her skewers, and bolted.

Her retreat was swift.

Her steps, frantic.

Ningning watched her mother flee, bewildered. “Mama’s upset… Did Ningning do something wrong? QAQ”

What malice could a baby have? She only wanted to protect her mother.

If Mommy was biting Mama, then Mommy was wrong. Ningning was a good girl for defending Mama.

Lu Luozhu: “…”

Left alone, Lu Luozhu finished the remaining barbecue. Ningning loved shrimp, so most of it ended up in her tiny stomach.

The charcoal crackled before her. Waves crashed against distant rocks. Gazing at the horizon, Lu Luozhu felt a strange, fleeting disorientation.

The original novel mentioned that both she and Qi Zi were raised in an orphanage.

A single line in the book cast an indelible shadow over Qi Zi’s life.

Her proud, untouchable sugar mommy sister had actually grown up in the ruthless competition of an orphanage.

How unbelievable.

How utterly delicious.

As for who the sister Qi Zi mentioned was—the one who fought for her food—Lu Luozhu couldn’t care less. Someone as beautiful as Qi Zi would naturally have people lining up to serve her.

The show continued filming, and the afternoon’s task was learning to surf.

Lu Luozhu stared at the surfboard floating on the sea, a slow question rising in her mind:

Was this meant to train the kids—or torture her, the adult?

An Song snorted. “I’ll throw your words back at you—I have a reason I must win.”

An Song looked at Lu Luozhu challengingly, only for the latter to tilt her head in confusion.

The host, noticing the tension between Lu Luozhu and An Song, deliberately pointed the live camera in their direction.

Host: “Since none of our guests know how to surf, we’ve invited a professional instructor. The first family to master surfing and complete the challenge will receive a magical conch from the program—one that can fulfill any wish!”

A giant pink conch sat atop the winner’s podium.

Lu Luozhu understood immediately—Little Jasmine loved pink seashells. The show was stirring the pot by putting out this pink conch.

Her gaze shifted behind the camera, where Qi Zi’s usual lounge chair stood empty.

Qian Qianqian, sunglasses on, sat under a coconut tree eating ice cream. Noticing Lu Luozhu’s stare, she held up a sign:

—Teacher Qi left the island for a meeting. Won’t be back tonight.

Qian Qianqian shoved the ice cream into her gaping maw, eagerly awaiting Lu Luozhu’s devastated expression.

Without Qi Zi around, this pampered canary would surely be heartbroken. Qian Qianqian took perverse delight in imagining Lu Luozhu’s emotional breakdown on camera.

Lu Luozhu was usually so infuriating—it was hard not to want to see her miserable.

But to Qian Qianqian’s surprise, Lu Luozhu’s previously tense expression instantly relaxed. She raised her right hand toward the host.

“I’m not in good health, so I’ll sit this one out.”

Ningning, picking up seashells nearby, peeked over and cluelessly covered her little face.

Mom’s not feeling well… I even accused her of biting Mother. Maybe she was just in pain and wanted Mother to help her.

Ningning is a bad child. Ningning shouldn’t have doubted Mom.

Ningning is a bad child QWQ

Children’s logic was painfully straightforward. Lu Luozhu met Ningning’s teary, conflicted gaze.

Lu Luozhu: ?

The host’s explanation faltered. “Huh?”

Qian Qianqian: ???

So, you were only competing for Qi Zi’s sake?!

The live chat for Baby Go Forward froze.

“Seriously, sis? You’re quitting without even trying?”

“Proof that Lu Luozhu is a diva. Must be nice having connections.”

“Is it just me, or does Lu Luozhu look exactly like my boss when he tells me I don’t have to work overtime?”

“Am I the only one who thinks the show’s at fault too? If Lu Luozhu’s health is bad, why schedule a surfing challenge where she’d be constantly falling into the water?”

“The show’s catching strays for no reason.”

The host turned helplessly to the production team, who were equally dumbfounded and could only nod in agreement.

An Song: ?!

Without hesitation, An Song grabbed Lu Luozhu’s arm. “Why won’t you participate? Are you afraid of losing to me and losing face?”

Lu Luozhu blinked innocently. “You have your reasons for needing to win, and I have mine for not wanting to compete. Or are you worried I’ll sneak off with the trophy on stage? I may go to great lengths to win, but I draw the line at petty theft.”

“If I were to do it, I’d wait until dead of night and sneak into your room to steal it.”

An Song was left speechless by Lu Luozhu’s words and could only kick the sand in frustration.

Hold back. Can’t hit someone on camera.

This woman is insane.

Under the intense gazes of the crowd, Lu Luozhu leisurely reclined on Qi Zi’s lounge chair, wearing Qi Zi’s forgotten sunglasses and draped with the blanket left beside it.

Qian Qianqian watched her smooth maneuvers. “You’re not participating?”

Lu Luozhu looked puzzled. “Are you expecting someone with a heart condition to go surfing? Does your studio’s lawyer know you’re making such bold assumptions?”

Qian Qianqian: “.”

Palm trees, golden beaches, and the distant roar of waves—this was what a vacation should look like.

Not far from the production team was the hotel where Qi Zi had previously stayed. Using Qi Zi’s card, Lu Luozhu had the staff prepare a black truffle cake dusted with edible gold leaf, a limited-supply portion of bluefin tuna belly, and a glass of vintage ’82 red wine.

Qian Qianqian watched her indulge in extravagance, her lips twitching.

A heart condition, but free to feast like this.

She must have been crazy to believe Lu Luozhu’s words.

Dressed in a beach dress, Lu Luozhu patted her child’s head. “Go play with the other kids. Mommy’s fine—just having some wine for her health.”

Ningning clung to her like a wounded kitten, on the verge of tears. “I shouldn’t have disturbed Mommy while she was eating.”

Lu Luozhu: “…Mm. Don’t do it again.”

Closing her eyes, Lu Luozhu let the warm breeze wash over her. It had been years since she’d felt this relaxed.

Lu Luozhu wasn’t one to embrace hardship. The worse her health became, the more she realized suffering was meaningless.

People toil their whole lives, only to regret not savoring the good times when they’re old and bedridden.

The alpha crooked a finger, and a hotel attendant gracefully fed her a piece of fruit.

Lu Luozhu smiled. “I’ll tip you later.”

An Song’s eyes burned at the sight of such decadence.

Her fists clenched. Hard.

Bai Rui held her back. “Focus on the competition. Put the surfboard down.”

An Song: “Why does she get to skip it?!”

Bai Rui: “Her agent said her heart can’t handle intense exercise.”

An Song: “A bad heart, but she can win a 50-meter freestyle swim?”

Bai Rui: “…”

An Song looked up again to see Lu Luozhu raising her wine glass from afar, toasting her mockingly.

An Song: “.”

Now her heart wasn’t feeling so great either.

Lu Luozhu dozed off briefly until her phone buzzed twice. Lazily pushing her sunglasses up, she checked the message on her screen.

Madam Liang: I heard you went on vacation to Emerald Island. There will be an auction on the island in two days—win lot number thirty-two for me. Your grandmother is celebrating her sixtieth birthday soon.

Lu Luozhu tilted her head back and opened her mouth, letting the hotel attendant drop a cherry between her lips. With one hand, she tapped open the image—Lot 32 was a jade necklace.

Starting bid: two million.

Lu Luozhu: ?

Her stepmother really had some nerve.

She typed a reply with one hand: Sure, I’ll see if there are any loan sharks on the island. When they come knocking, you can fend them off for me.

After a long pause, Madam Liang sent a message: Lu Luozhu, don’t forget who raised you. Without the Lu family, you might be digging through trash somewhere right now.

A few seconds later, another brief message followed: I know you’ve made money from investments. Your grandmother has high hopes for you—don’t disappoint her.

Lu Luozhu didn’t reply. Instead, she tapped her adoptive mother’s chat and blocked her.

A moment later, her phone buzzed again.

Qi Zi: Was the hotel attendant good-looking?