Stepmom Alpha’s Guide to Raising Kids - Chapter 35

Qi Zi suddenly found someone nestled in her arms—an alpha wearing the dress she’d gifted, the high heels she’d chosen, even the ring on that ring finger was her present…

Dressed up like a beautiful doll.

Qi Zi had always struggled to stay angry at Lu Luozhu. Like now.

“You still remember to come back?”

“Mmm… people outside were bullying me.”

Qi Zi eyed her skeptically. Rationally, she knew Lu Luozhu wasn’t someone who could be easily bullied.

“How did they bully you?”

Before Lu Luozhu could answer, Ningning, trailing behind, piped up, chattering away as she repeated the ugly words adults had said.

Qian Qianqian quickly covered the child’s mouth.

“Don’t say those dirty words.”

Ningning mumbled innocently, “But that’s what those people said.”

Qian Qianqian gave a complicated glance at the woman hiding in Teacher Qi’s arms. If she hadn’t interacted with Lu Luozhu alone before, she might have softened already.

Based on Qian Qianqian’s experience, things were clearly not that simple.

Sure enough, Ningning added, “Mom pulled up a video on her phone, and the bad people who cursed at her suddenly started screaming in fright. Honestly, adults these days are so jumpy and annoying.”

Qian Qianqian: “…”

She knew it.

Ningning was carried away by the manager, while Lu Luozhu clung tightly to Qi Zi’s waist, refusing to let go.

The sweet scent of pear blossom pheromones lingered around them. Lu Luozhu closed her eyes and took a deep breath, suppressing the dull ache in her chest.

Lu Luozhu had never held much expectation for family. She couldn’t recall any memories of family before transmigrating into this book. She figured if her past family had been happy, she would have remembered at least a fragment.

When faced with the scheming members of the Lu family, all she felt was disgust—and a hidden, deep-seated panic.

Lu Luozhu masked her emotions well. At least, no one present noticed.

The alpha’s back was gently patted. “Little Bamboo?”

Qi Zi sounded concerned. “Have you forgotten you’re an alpha?”

What kind of alpha acted as delicate as Lu Luozhu? “Did they ask you for money?”

Qi Zi guessed, cupping Lu Luozhu’s face in her hands, squishing her lips into a pout. “How much did they ask for?”

Lu Luozhu stayed silent, her dark eyes staring at Qi Zi in surprise.

Qi Zi’s heart softened momentarily. She took Lu Luozhu’s hand and led her to the sofa, bending down to remove her high heels. Almost unconsciously, she massaged the reddened ankles of her nominal wife.

“I know you want the Lu family’s approval. I don’t like seeing you upset. Just tell me the amount—I’ll check if we have it.”

Throwing money into the void wasn’t something new for Qi Zi.

Even as she spoke, she found it absurd. She knew Lu Luozhu was no saint, that she might be scheming with the Lu family to swindle her. Yet emotionally, Qi Zi could never bring herself to refuse Lu Luozhu.

Especially now.

The alpha was clearly in low spirits, like a pitiful little dog that had been bullied outside.

Ah, well.

Beauty clouds judgment.

Lu Luozhu murmured, “230 million. Will you give it to me, my lady?”

Qi Zi froze. Reluctant, but if Lu Luozhu insisted…

“I can’t pull that together right now. Give me some time…”

A muffled laugh came from above. “I thought Madam would refuse without hesitation, but I never expected you’d actually consider giving it to me. Are you planning to buy out my ownership rights? That way, you could justifiably lock me in the basement as a literal golden canary—one that would nestle into your arms at your beck and call, just like this.”

“Please don’t spare me. I’ll do anything you ask.”

“Lu Luozhu!” Qi Zi’s voice trembled with shock and anger. “Lu Luozhu, I’m serious!”

When Qi Zi looked up, she met Lu Luozhu’s sparkling, amused gaze.

“I never wanted your money. I was joking—I tore up the contract.”

Qi Zi sat dumbfounded on the carpet, fingers still curled around Lu Luozhu’s ankle. The icy composure she had carefully maintained now showed cracks, her deliberately stern eyes betraying confusion.

No money? If she didn’t want money, why had she been acting so coquettish?

She looked… a little dazed.

Too adorable.

Unable to resist, Lu Luozhu patted her thigh boldly. “The floor’s cold, Madam. Sit on my lap instead.”

……

Days later, surveillance footage that should have remained confidential appeared in the Lu family’s inboxes.

The sound of shattering porcelain punctuated the elderly man’s furious outburst: “Where did the money for your gambling come from?! You unfilial wretches—the Lu family will be ruined by your hands!”

Slumped in his chair, the eldest uncle endured the weight of everyone’s scrutiny. Madame Liang stood nearby, her expression grim.

“How could Lu Luozhu have gotten her hands on casino footage? Impossible! Absolutely impossible! She’s nothing but a fool who only cares about money—a complete idiot.”

“Someone must be backing her.”

Once the video leaked, simply deleting it wouldn’t solve anything.

“Some sensationalist media outlets have already started reporting on it. This will deal a severe blow to the group’s reputation.”

Seated in his high-backed chair, the silver-haired patriarch looked ashen. “I never should have adopted Lu Luozhu. If not for her, my granddaughter would still be alive.”

His cane struck the floor with a resounding thud, and the room fell deathly silent. The family exchanged uneasy glances. Madame Liang frowned irritably—Lu Luozhu had never once failed to extract money from Qi Zi before.

Lu Luozhu had always been easy to manipulate, driven solely by greed and a desperate need for the Lu family’s approval. As an adopted daughter, she was shortsighted yet wildly ambitious—utterly foolish.

But at some point, Lu Luozhu had changed.

A creeping sense of losing control filled Madame Liang with dread.

“Could she already know…?”

The alpha male beside her scowled deeply. “Don’t overthink it. There’s no way.”

Suddenly, the eldest uncle shrieked from his chair, “The casino is demanding repayment again! Mother, please lend me some money—I swear I’ll quit after this! They threatened to leak everything to the press if I don’t pay. Please, I’m begging you!”

His phone clattered to the floor like a burning coal, the overseas call ringing like a death knell.

“The debt collectors said if I don’t pay, they won’t just expose me—they’ll kidnap me! Mother, lend me the money! My D-City project is about to launch. There’s huge profit there—I’ll pay you back!”

The elderly woman with silver-streaked hair watched as her eldest son collapsed onto the floor in utter disarray. She wearily closed her eyes and asked,

“Have you offended someone?”

Her eldest uncle’s pupils trembled.

Offended someone? He had offended far too many—how could he possibly remember?

No one truly believed it was Lu Luozhu’s doing. A useless alpha with no resources—how could she possibly wield such overwhelming power?

……

Lu Luozhu put away her phone and leaned against the bed with a bright smile. “Madam, I had quite a fright today. Would you allow me to stay the night here?”

Qi Zi had just finished bathing, her body still steaming, her fair skin flushed pink from the heat.

She stood by the window, drying her hair, as the distant woods rustled loudly in the wind.

Qi Zi let out a cold hum, her sidelong glance sweeping over the alpha standing obediently nearby.

“I don’t share beds with others.”

Seeing the alpha’s crestfallen expression, Qi Zi finished drying her hair, smoothed it neatly, and finally relented.

“But since you didn’t cause any trouble today, I’ll allow it.”

Lu Luozhu chuckled faintly, then washed up, changed into pajamas, and lay down properly at the edge of the bed, taking up only the smallest space.

Casinos brought high profits, but the investments were equally steep. Lu Luozhu scrolled through legal information about the local country on her phone, struggling slightly but managing to read through it all.

The faint glow of the screen illuminated her face as soft breathing sounds reached her ears.

Every little movement in the room stood out starkly.

Qi Zi turned over, her fragrant hair brushing against Lu Luozhu’s ear.

In the darkness, the alpha placed her phone face-down on the pillow, then turned and wrapped an arm around Qi Zi’s waist, pressing her forehead against Qi Zi’s back.

The scent of bergamot lingered thickly in the dark. Qi Zi’s breathing suddenly quickened, her heart pounding violently, every muscle in her body tensed to the limit.

Under the same blanket, Qi Zi’s fingers twitched unnaturally.

An alpha’s pheromones made an omega feel clingy.

She wanted to get closer—just a little closer.

Her body’s impulses betrayed her rationality. Qi Zi turned and pulled Lu Luozhu into her arms.

“Sleep properly. Don’t get handsy, or I’ll kick you off.”

Lu Luozhu had received a transfer from the casino in her phone. Without hesitation, she forwarded it to Zhou Fan, who was currently preparing for a film project.

Her phone buzzed incessantly with incoming messages.

Zhou Fan: LU PRESIDENT!!!!

Zhou Fan: President Lu! I’ve finished revising the script! Thank you for your trust—this film will be a hit, guaranteed! You won’t lose money, and we’ll sweep all the awards!

Zhou Fan trembled as he typed on his cracked, battered phone: Let me know when Teacher Qi is available for an audition.

Zhou Fan: I’m free anytime.

Lu Luozhu’s phone was on silent. She was currently being cradled in the warm embrace of her patroness.

Qi Zi wasn’t the voluptuous type—in fact, she was somewhat slender, even a little underdeveloped in certain areas.

But it was cute. Lu Luozhu liked it.

Accompanying her patroness to bed was part of her duties as a canary. Lu Luozhu closed her eyes and drifted into peaceful sleep, her breathing steadying gradually.

In the darkness, Qi Zi opened her eyes—clear and full of confusion.

She fell asleep just like that?

No… extracurricular activities?

The alpha in her arms was sound asleep, as if even thunderbolts from the heavens wouldn’t wake them.

Youth is truly enviable—falling asleep the moment their head hits the pillow.

Qi Zi felt a mix of irritation and speechlessness, finally letting out a soft sigh. She wasn’t even sure what she had been expecting just now.

In her sleep, Lu Luozhu faintly sensed delicate kisses brushing against the corners of her eyes and brows. She struggled to open her eyes, but the kisses ended just before she fully awoke.

In the darkness, countless inky tendrils coiled around her heart, threatening to drag her into an endless abyss—

Yet on her lips came a sweet kiss, starkly different from the surrounding darkness.

The night was filled with bizarre dreams. When Lu Luozhu woke the next morning, Qi Zi was no longer beside her.

She slept until nine before getting up. A bowl of warm congee and fried dough sticks were placed by the bedside. Struggling to stand, Lu Luozhu’s first instinct was to check her reflection in the mirror for any traces on her lips.

There was nothing.

Lu Luozhu frowned almost imperceptibly. Standing by the window, she saw Qi Zi practicing Tai Chi in the yard.

Qian Qianqian was playing on the grass with Ningning, who kept trying to climb a tree. Qian Qianqian kept pulling her down, only for Ningning to scramble right back up the moment she looked away.

“Auntie, come catch me!”

Qian Qianqian, baffled and utterly exasperated, went to fetch a ladder in despair.

…

Lu Luozhu checked her phone balance and froze.

Investing recklessly yesterday had been exhilarating—now her wallet was in ruins.

Never make decisions when you’re not thinking clearly. Lu Luozhu scratched her head frantically. Her balance couldn’t even cover breakfast.

With her liquid funds drained, she was on the verge of laughing at her own poverty.

It would take time for her investments to yield returns, but fortunately, the children’s variety show payment would come through in half a month. Her song Unicorn had won awards, and the copyright sales alone had brought in a hefty sum. By year-end, she’d be invited to perform on major TV stations, and taking on a few endorsements would rake in even more.

Lu Luozhu was gradually getting lost in the flattery of being called “Boss Lu.”

Rubbing her throbbing temples, she sat on the corridor bench, chewing on a fried dough stick while watching Qi Zi practice Tai Chi.

Qi Zi’s movements flowed like water, her posture as graceful as a crane. Her long hair was loosely tied up with a chopstick, giving her an almost immortal air.

Turning her head, Qi Zi spotted the slouching alpha munching on her breakfast. “Morning.”

Lu Luozhu mumbled, “Morning.”

How was she supposed to ask Qi Zi for money now?

After turning down 230 million yesterday, she couldn’t bring herself to ask.

As Lu Luozhu struggled to phrase her request, Qi Zi stepped in front of her, blocking the light. A faint sheen of sweat glistened on her forehead, her lips flushed red.

Her dark eyes flickered with discomfort when they landed on Lu Luozhu.

“Brush your teeth after eating. I need to talk to you.”

Qi Zi pushed the last bite of fried dough stick into Lu Luozhu’s mouth.

Lu Luozhu: “Mmph—”

The usually aloof and ethereal Qi Zi actually smiled.

Choking slightly, Lu Luozhu said, “With your feeding technique, Teacher Qi, if you ever leave the entertainment industry, you could open a pig farm in the suburbs. When the pigs refuse to eat, just shove a tube down their throats and force-feed them. You’d make a fortune—leave a legendary mark on the pig-rearing industry.”

Qi Zi: “…”

After brushing her teeth, Lu Luozhu was led into a sealed white room reeking of disinfectant.

Qi Zi, now wearing a mask that hid her slightly flushed cheeks, pried Lu Luozhu’s jaw open with one hand and pressed a glass test tube against her teeth with the other.

“Secrete alpha pheromones. Hurry up.”

Lu Luozhu’s teeth ached as she was pinned down by Qi Zi, who wore disposable gloves, like a trapped wild beast.

Unable to struggle.

So pheromones could be secreted separately.

As the pheromones dripped into the test tube, the sealed room felt as if a concentrated pheromone bomb had been detonated.

Qi Zi’s fingers trembled slightly before she forcibly steadied herself, only stopping when the tube was half-filled.

A stack of red cash was slapped onto Lu Luozhu, who caught it with both hands.

Qi Zi stiffly placed the test tube into a special storage container. “Your payment.”

Lu Luozhu smirked without real amusement. “Madam, you use me and then toss me some money like I’m some cheap sellout?”

Qi Zi wanted to explain—Lu Luozhu wasn’t always by her side. When she wasn’t around, Qi Zi needed her pheromones and could only inject them into herself this way.

Lu Luozhu: “Give me more.”

Qi Zi: “…”

This idiot was just as infuriating as ever.

With a cold expression, Qi Zi ordered her to change into dark-colored clothes. Lu Luozhu complied—Qi Zi had already prepared black long sleeves and pants, all in safe, unremarkable styles.

The black sedan sped down the highway, a bouquet of white chrysanthemums resting on the passenger seat.

The scenery outside the window blurred past as the atmosphere inside the car grew heavy.

Lu Luozhu: “Going to visit your friend’s grave?”

Qi Zi glanced at her, eyes filled with unspoken words, before shaking her head and taking Lu Luozhu’s cold hand in hers.

“Not a friend.”

The car arrived at a remote section of the cemetery. Qi Zi’s voice was soft. “I grew up in an orphanage. In college, an aunt sponsored me—she was a renowned scholar in the architectural field. She asked me to visit and pay respects to her two mentors every year.”

“She said that without them, she wouldn’t be who she was.”

Qi Zi’s words were fragmented, but Lu Luozhu pieced together the gist of it.

Lu Luozhu: “Why doesn’t your aunt come herself?”

Qi Zi looked at her deeply. “She died in an accident.”

Lu Luozhu’s heart sank.

Dressed in black, the award-winning actress-teacher carried the white chrysanthemums and stopped before a desolate grave. “Back then, I’d just entered the entertainment industry. I couldn’t afford a proper burial plot—I had to borrow money for the funeral.”

Her tone was flat, devoid of emotion. Lu Luozhu wanted to offer comfort, but Qi Zi smiled faintly and waved her off.

“It’s all in the past.”

Passing rows of neglected black tombstones, Qi Zi’s heels came to a halt before two weathered graves.

One was a shared tombstone, engraved with two names Lu Luozhu had never heard of.

The other was a single grave, bearing the image of a gentle, scholarly young man.

The shared tombstone belonged to a married couple, though their black-and-white photos had faded. From what remained, their dignified bearing was still evident.

Qi Zi bent down to pluck the weeds from the graves, wiping the dust-covered surfaces with wet wipes.

Only the howling wind filled the silence. The biting cold made Lu Luozhu feel strangely disoriented.

Qi Zi: “These two professors were Ph.D.s from B University—brilliant minds. They died in a fire and explosion. If they were still alive…”

Lu Luozhu had expected her to say that their survival would have reshaped the architectural landscape of the country.

Qi Zi: “If you two were still alive, our family could have lived a very good life together.”

Qi Zi pulled Lu Luozhu to bow together before the tombstone.

She placed another bouquet of white chrysanthemums before a single tombstone, wiping it clean with wet wipes just as before and pulling out the weeds nearby.

Lu Luozhu stared deeply at the photo on the tombstone, her mind blank except for her rapidly beating heart.

Lu Luozhu: “What was the cause of your aunt’s death?”

Qi Zi: “Probably some conflict with corporate interests.”

Qi Zi shrugged. Lu Luozhu couldn’t tell how close they had been—according to Qi Zi, she’d only lived with her aunt for less than two years, and even then the woman was often away on business trips.

“You know how it is. When capitalists want to arrange a car accident or some other ‘accident,’ they have plenty of ways to do it.”

Dark clouds gathered overhead as Lu Luozhu and Qi Zi bowed three times before the tombstone.

Before leaving, Lu Luozhu suddenly asked, “There are only a handful of major construction companies in the country. Who was responsible for your aunt’s death?”

Qi Zi pressed her lips together. “I don’t know.”

Lu Luozhu didn’t believe her. Once in the car, she sent the photo to a private investigator.

“Look into what happened back then. Price isn’t an issue.”

The reply came as a simple “OK.”

The atmosphere in the car grew heavy. Qi Zi carefully observed Lu Luozhu’s expression, but seeing her eyes closed in rest, quietly looked away.

Thinking she’d remembered something, Qi Zi asked, “What’s on your mind?”

Lu Luozhu closed the investigator’s chat window. “I’m thinking about how to pay Ningning’s 100,000 yuan semester tuition.”

Qi Zi: “…”

Ningning had been taken by Qian Qianqian to play at the studio, where Zhou Fan was also waiting.

From down the hallway came the familiar voice of CEO Lu:

“I’m really broke right now, can’t afford the tuition. How about I write you an IOU?”

Daily expenses used to be handled by dedicated staff, but now that Ningning had started kindergarten and Qi Zi noticed Lu Luozhu seemed to be making some money, she’d handed over childcare responsibilities like any hands-off parent would.

The good news: Lu Luozhu had gained financial authority in the household.

The bad news: She had no liquid assets.

The alpha stood with hands in pockets, looking every bit the deadbeat. She’d completely forgotten about these trivial matters when making investments.

“How about putting it on tab? I can pay with my body if needed.”

“Get lost!”

Lu Luozhu’s pockets only contained the stack of cash Qi Zi had given her that morning—nowhere near 100,000 yuan.

Qian Qianqian: “…”

Zhou Fan: ?!

When Lu Luozhu pushed open the door, she was met with a room full of complicated stares.

Undeterred, Lu Luozhu smiled warmly. “Everyone’s here! Don’t worry, the production’s funding isn’t an issue. If we’re really short, I’ll just take out a nude loan—I won’t let our child miss school or the production halt.”

Lu Luozhu casually took a seat beside Director Zhou and clapped her hands. Ningning came running over.

“Mommy!”

Ningning said obediently, “Ningning doesn’t have to go to school! I can pick up trash to earn money later, so mommy doesn’t have to worry. Ningning is very good!”

Lu Luozhu smiled faintly. “When your mother stops liking me, I’ll have to pick up trash too.”

“Mommy loves Ningning. Mommy won’t sell Ningning’s 20,000 yuan per can formula.”

Ningning: “Aww!”

Zhou Fan: “?”

Qi Zi’s already cold expression darkened further. “Lu Luozhu, shut your mouth.”

The revised script lay in the center as Lu Luozhu watched Qi Zi flipping through it with a faint smile, while Zhou Fan explained the details beside them.

If everything went smoothly, production could begin in a month.

Suddenly, Qian Qianqian exclaimed loudly, “Holy sh1t, check Weibo right now!”

The discussion about the script between Qi Zi and Zhou Fan came to an abrupt halt as Qian Qianqian shoved her phone right in front of Qi Zi.

“Holy sh1t, the creative team competing with you for the New Year’s movie slot was just exposed for gambling debts. They tried to trick their girlfriend into going there to pay it off.”

The scandal topped the trending list, with disbelief flooding the comments section.

“I initially thought this was smear campaign from rivals, but damn—there’s HD footage…”

“Fvck, what a disgusting piece of sh1t. Gambling addicts deserve to rot.”

“With the lead creator involved in this, their movie’s probably canceled. The only New Year’s release worth anticipating now is Qi Zi’s period drama.”

“Let me put on my tinfoil hat—do you think maybe…”

“Get real, commenter above. Even state media confirmed it. Why do other studios stay clean while hers keeps getting exposed? Some people are just rotten to the core.”

Qi Zi scrolled through the comments as Qian Qianqian looked dazed. “Some anonymous source keeps sending me similar surveillance clips lately. I offered payment, but they refused. Could it be your fan?”

Qi Zi remained silent. “Money isn’t an issue. Pay them if they ask.”

Meanwhile, Lu Luozhu cuddled Ningning sweetly, planting a kiss on the toddler’s soft cheek.

Mommy might be broke, but thankfully your other mother’s loaded.

Qian Qianqian suddenly snapped to attention. “Lu Luozhu, read that trending topic carefully. I saw you browsing gambling guides last week—you’d better watch yourself. I won’t process any Southeast Asia visas for you in the coming years. I refuse to see your surveillance footage popping up anywhere.”

Qi Zi’s sharp gaze cut across the room.

Caught in the crossfire, Lu Luozhu blinked innocently. “…?”