Stepmom Alpha’s Guide to Raising Kids - Chapter 3

The assistant maintained a stoic expression, wondering what trick Lu Luozhu was up to this time.

Though, admittedly, Lu Luozhu was quite beautiful.

But beauty couldn’t mask her venomous heart—using a child to vie for favor? She must have a death wish.

The alpha stood at the reception desk of the artist’s studio, drawing sidelong glances from passersby. Yet, she seemed utterly oblivious, idly twirling a loose strand of hair as her white dress draped elegantly.

Anyone unaware might mistake her for some vixen who had slipped out of nowhere, swaying nine tails behind her.

Qi Zi’s studio was stocked with plenty of children’s items, ensuring Ningning would never go hungry.

Staff immediately brought over a high chair, milk bottles, snacks, and toys.

Standing at the reception desk, Lu Luozhu neither cried nor made a fuss, as serene as a night-blooming cereus under the moonlight—every strand of her hair practically spelling out “well-behaved.”

The assistant muttered to herself—was she out of money again?

A nearby staff member scoffed, “Madam isn’t as free as Teacher Qi. Instead of wasting time here begging for money, she should focus on raising her child properly and staying out of trouble.”

The assistant felt a flicker of hesitation but quickly shook it off.

“I’m sorry, but Teacher Qi isn’t in the studio right now.”

Even after being berated, Lu Luozhu didn’t get angry—after all, the original owner of this body had been despicable.

With a perfectly measured smile, Lu Luozhu replied, “Oh? So just because she’s not here, I can’t go in?”

The assistant’s eyes said it all: Obviously?

Lu Luozhu: “…”

The assistant: “Should we let you steal Teacher Qi’s work schedule again and sell it to paparazzi?”

Another staff member chimed in, “Or let you swipe her haute couture jewelry again to pawn for gambling money?”

Lu Luozhu: “…”

“What a shame. Then, could you please pass this bag of gland patches and disinfecting tools to my dear Qi Zi? Tell her… I’m sorry, and I won’t let her get hurt again.”

The omega in her arms whimpered softly—probably from the pain of her injury.

The lounge area had sofas, where Lu Luozhu sat with the little one.

Ningning stretched out her tiny paws and made a kitten-like pounce toward Lu Luozhu. “Mama! OWO”

Lu Luozhu picked up a small frog plushie and gave it a squeeze—the green frog immediately let out a croak.

The child’s eyes lit up, and she made another kitten pounce.

—Success!

“Ningning is so clever.”

—Another kitten pounce.

This time, Ningning missed, tumbling off the sofa and landing softly on the carpet.

Ningning: Gets up, dusts off her pants, and goes for another kitten pounce.

Just as everyone expected Lu Luozhu to storm off in cold fury, she remained seated in the lounge, thoroughly enjoying herself with the child. Her long hair cascaded gently, softening her features, and for once, she truly resembled a devoted wife and mother.

She seemed like an entirely different person from before.

Lu Luozhu had a weak heart, so she moved leisurely in everything she did—even playing with the child had an air of grace.

She knew exactly what someone as busy as Qi Zi wanted to see: a beautiful wife who could take care of their child without causing trouble.

The scene was so pleasing that the assistant secretly snapped a photo and sent it to the manager. After getting approval, she posted it on Weibo.

…

“A gift from a fan? Just set it aside—I’ll check it out later.”

In a five-star hotel, Qi Zi was in the middle of shooting a magazine cover.

Agent Qian Qianqian brought in a plastic bag delivered by a local courier. “Not a gift from fans.”

Qi Zi, who had been reviewing advertisement quotes, glanced sideways.

“It’s from Lu Luozhu.”

“Throw it away.”

“She said… sorry, I won’t let you get hurt next time.”

Qi Zi’s breathing faltered.

Qi Zi had zero interest in anything Lu Luozhu sent. The mere thought of how that woman had gnawed and kissed the gland on the back of her neck—when a brief pain could have solved everything—yet she chose to torment her this way. The more Qi Zi thought about it, the angrier she became, her already intimidating expression turning even darker.

The magazine shoot staff exchanged glances, feeling the temperature in the suite drop several degrees.

Was she… refusing to shoot now?

Who had the guts to coax this award-winning actress?

In the end, Qian Qianqian didn’t throw it away directly. She opened the plastic bag to find a box of gland patches and sterilization tools.

Qian Qianqian was surprised. “Why would she send you these?”

The moment Qi Zi caught a glimpse of the gland patches out of the corner of her eye, she averted her gaze as if burned, her nails scraping across the table with a sharp sound.

This woman—!

What was this alpha implying? Insulting her?

Qi Zi’s expression grew colder. The stylist currently doing her hair was startled—wow, the actress was bristling.

Qian Qianqian looked concerned. “Is your pheromones acting up again?”

Without glancing her way, Qi Zi reached to toss the gland patches into the trash, but then she noticed the design—a cute light green frog.

At the thought of Lu Luozhu, Qi Zi’s omega pheromones seemed to stir slightly, her normally flat gland showing signs of swelling.

Qian Qianqian’s phone dinged. “Lu Luozhu is holding Ningning at the entrance of your studio. Should we let her in?”

“Bring Ningning inside. As for Lu Luozhu… if she wants to play nice, let’s see how long she can keep it up.”

Without high-quality gland patches to block it, everyone in the room would likely catch the scent of her pear blossom pheromones.

Damn it.

Qi Zi’s gaze was restrained, her breathing heavier.

Just thinking about Lu Luozhu triggering her pheromones like this had never happened before. It was as if an electric current had passed through her body, leaving a tingling numbness in its wake.

Her condition was worsening.

Qi Zi subtly took deep breaths of the cool air. With a cold expression, she stood up, ultimately not discarding what Lu Luozhu had sent.

“Don’t waste time. Continue shooting.”

Qi Zi’s professionalism was impeccable. She swiftly completed the magazine cover shoot, and by the time the entire process wrapped up, over two hours had passed.

As the staff and assistants helped remove her makeup, Qi Zi reclined lazily in the soft chair before the vanity, half-lidded eyes scrolling through her phone. She assumed Lu Luozhu would have left by now.

But the moment she opened Weibo, a familiar image popped up from her follow list.

The familiar background. The familiar child.

The unfamiliar woman.

The photo only showed half of Lu Luozhu’s face. The light glowed against her fair fingers—slender, beautiful fingers holding a green frog plushie. It was a limited-edition collaboration IP sample sent by the brand to Qi Zi, one that would croak when squeezed.

The usually quiet and aloof little girl pounced toward the small frog like a kitten. Lu Luozhu raised her hand accordingly, and the little girl lifted her tiny paw as well.

Was she playing with a cat?

@LuLuozhu: Quality time with the little one [Photo]

“I was ready to start cursing, but the composition of this shot is actually quite nice.”

“Please, stop tormenting the kid—wait, huh, seems like Ningning actually likes it this time?”

“Ningning… don’t let yourself be fooled by a little plushie!! She’s a bad woman! An evil stepmother! Ningning, come home with Auntie (selecting a favorite burlap sack).”

“A mere frog plushie? Auntie could afford it even if it cost three months’ salary.”

“Hope this isn’t staged. First time realizing the ‘bad woman’ is actually stunning.”

Qi Zi scrolled through the comments, most of which were bashing Lu Luozhu, but it was clear at a glance that this comment section was different from before.

Perhaps it was because the photo was genuinely well-taken, and Ningning seemed quite affectionate toward her.

Qi Zi’s eyes flickered slightly, her lashes trembling. The glands at the back of her neck had reached their limit—her pheromones were on the verge of spilling over.

No matter how much she refused to admit it, Qi Zi had to acknowledge that Lu Luozhu’s pheromones had an intoxicating effect on her body.

“One moment.”

Having just removed her makeup and halfway through her skincare routine, Qi Zi got up from her chair, grabbed a gland patch at random, and headed for the bathroom.

Once inside the enclosed private space, she tore off the patch on the back of her neck—too roughly, leaving a red mark on her skin.

Her phone screen was still lit, displaying the surveillance feed of her studio’s reception area.

Without Ningning by her side, Lu Luozhu sat alone on the sofa, one hand scrolling through her phone while the other squeezed a croaking frog plushie.

She looked lonely, like a caged canary waiting for her patron’s visit.

As Qi Zi peeled off the backing of the gland patch, she realized it had a faint green sheen—emblazoned with a cartoonish little frog.

Qi Zi: “…”

It was too late to throw it away and fetch another one now.

The scent of pear blossoms filled the small room.

The frog-shaped patch seemed to contain a hint of peppermint essential oil, quickly soothing the heat in her glands as she pressed it against her skin.

After all this fuss, Qi Zi’s cheeks were slightly flushed. Leaning against the wall, she tapped her phone screen irritably and clicked her tongue.

As if angry at her pheromones—or perhaps at the gland patch itself.

Meanwhile, Lu Luozhu, who had been scouring the surveillance footage for evidence of the tutor mistreating her child, suddenly noticed a transfer notification.

Her patron had just gifted her 50,000 yuan?

Attached was a message: “No need to send anything next time. I don’t need it.”