Stepmom Alpha’s Guide to Raising Kids - Chapter 39

Lu Shengtian sensed someone watching him.

He glanced around but couldn’t pinpoint the source. To be precise, many people were secretly laughing at him.

Videos of Lu Shengtian being chased for gambling debts in foreign casinos had circulated across social circles. Though no one said it outright, the mocking glances—both overt and covert—never ceased.

“Damn it,” Lu Shengtian cursed under his breath. His gaze landed on Qi Zi, who was clinking glasses with others not far away.

The young actress stood out effortlessly, her hair elegantly pinned up with only two loose strands framing her face—graceful and refined.

Lu Shengtian scoffed inwardly. She might look the part, but who knows what shady things she’s done behind the scenes?

He thought Qi Zi was a fool for falling for Lu Luo Zhu. As an adopted daughter of the Lu family, did she really expect to inherit anything?

Lu Luo Zhu had only ever been a placeholder for the biological daughter, though that plan had fallen through.

Dismissing the thought, Lu Shengtian handed his glass to a nearby photographer and slipped away to the restroom.

In the empty hallway, someone suddenly pressed against his back. A hand settled on his shoulder, fingers exerting startling force.

The oppressive aura of another Alpha made the middle-aged man’s knees buckle, cold sweat breaking out on his forehead.

“Who the hell are you?”

An Alpha who’d been ignored all evening, struggling to secure investors for his stalled project in City C—

He’d hoped Lu Luo Zhu could squeeze money out of Qi Zi, but that shameless woman had torn up the contract on the spot, forcing him to start over.

When the middle-aged Alpha turned, the woman standing in the shadows nearly made his soul flee his body. His scream died in his throat, choked by invisible cotton.

“Mr. Lu, have you forgotten something?”

Xu Huaqing stepped forward politely, a cigarette flickering between her fingers. Her faintly green eyes hinted at mixed heritage.

“Y-You—how are you here? This is a lawful society—you can’t—”

The glow of the cigarette in the dark triggered memories of searing pain—debts collected with burning embers pressed into his skin.

“I’ll pay you back, just give me time! Two days! My old lady has money, and my family married a big star—her daily earnings could cover everything—”

The higher-ranked Alpha’s dominance forced him back, his bulging stomach trembling like a woman in labor.

“I’m not negotiating. $800,000. Now.”

“Fine, I’ll pay now!”

Lu Shengtian, mistaking this for mercy from the casino boss, agreed instantly.

Behind a pillar, Lu Luo Zhu’s brow arched. Only 800,000? That doesn’t match what I found.

Xu Huaqing added, “U.S. dollars.”

Lu Luo Zhu: “…”

——

After circling the venue with no sign of Lu Luo Zhu, Qi Zi’s forehead grew damp with anxious sweat.

Where the hell has that troublesome Alpha disappeared to now?

Could it be that he was dragged into a corner and beaten up for offending President Xu?

Qi Zi pressed her temples with a headache, thinking President Xu wasn’t the rough type—but when it came to Lu Luozhu’s sharp tongue, she couldn’t be sure.

Inside the venue, glasses clinked in toasts. Qi Zi had drunk two glasses of champagne, the alcohol simmering in her veins, a faint itch creeping from the scent gland at the nape of her neck.

What a troublemaker.

Qi Zi was starting to regret bringing Lu Luozhu along.

If she ended up offending some big shot here, how would she ever survive in this circle?

Suddenly, a dull thud echoed from the deserted hallway.

We should press our faces against the chilled glasses, letting the coolness temper the heat in our cheeks.

High heels stepped soundlessly on the plush carpet, light as a cat’s tread.

In the quiet corridor, a male alpha lay sprawled on the floor like a dead pig.

Qi Zi paused silently behind a decorative pillar, peering out cautiously.

She recognized the man on the ground, a flicker of disgust flashing in her eyes.

Him…

Lu Shengtian remained oblivious to the hidden gaze, his body aching as if shattered. A circular burn scar on the back of his hand stung sharply under the sweat and bl00d.

He lifted his phone to his ear, muttering a curse under his breath.

“Thanks, man. I’ll pay you back next month. The C-city project has huge margins—I’ll just switch suppliers, cut back on steel, and skimp a bit on the cement in the concrete. We’ll save enough to settle the debt soon.”

Lu Shengtian struggled to get up, suppressing a groan in his throat.

The person on the other end seemed hesitant, prompting Lu Shengtian to scoff.

“Tch, the Lu family only hires architects who are in on the scheme. How many Tao Yous are there in this world? If anyone else causes trouble, just deal with them the usual way.”

At the mention of “Tao You,” Qi Zi’s pupils constricted sharply.

Professor Tao—the one who had funded her university education.

The omega looked down at the man on the floor with cold disdain. Without solid evidence, she couldn’t bring him to justice.

“What? That woman had a kid? Tch, the brat’s probably three or four now—no threat at all.”

Lu Shengtian hung up, attempting to stand only to stagger and collapse again, unsure which bone was broken as he floundered helplessly.

Compared to the agony Professor Tao endured before her fatal car accident, this fall was nothing.

Qi Zi frowned. Why was Lu Shengtian lying here?

No matter. She needed to find her own troublemaking alpha first.

…

The alpha in question was caught red-handed while loading her plate with desserts.

Lu Luozhu’s cheeks bulged with a freshly baked cheese tart, her plate piled high with assorted mini cakes.

She radiated the sweet, sugary aroma of pastries.

The alpha was even trying to ask a server for a takeout box.

Server: ?

This was the first time a guest had ever requested to pack banquet desserts.

“Of course, I’ll fetch one for you right away.”

Lu Luozhu chewed vigorously, one cheek stuffed full.

Qi Zi suppressed her irritation. “Are you a starving ghost reincarnated?”

Lu Luozhu blinked, her eyes bright and guileless. “Are you scolding me?”

Nearby guests: ?

Subtly eavesdropping.

A smear of cream clung to the alpha’s lips. Qi Zi closed her eyes, reining in her temper, then reached out to wipe it away with her thumb.

Lu Luozhu tilted her head innocently. “I thought you’d be happy right now.”

Qi Zi replied flatly, “How could I possibly be happy watching you make a spectacle of yourself?”

Lu Luozhu popped another piece of cake into her mouth. “Really not happy?”

She had just witnessed Qi Zi seeing her uncle flailing on the ground like a frog with two broken legs.

Lu Luozhu searched Qi Zi’s eyes for even a trace of amusement. The little canary felt somewhat dejected at failing to cheer up her superior.

Her boss was truly hard to please.

When the waiter brought takeout boxes, Lu Luozhu selected several desserts she’d tasted and particularly enjoyed to bring home for Ningning.

The alpha was really family-oriented.

Qi Zi closed her eyes in despair. “When has our household ever deprived you of food?”

Lu Luozhu: “These are for Ningning. Since we’re often out, she might think we’ve forgotten her and feel sad.”

Waving the takeout box before Qi Zi, Lu Luozhu flashed a picture-perfect virtuous wife and mother smile.

Xu Huaqing was nearly blinded from afar.

Alphas in love were truly terrifying.

On the return journey,

The car was excessively quiet, with only their soft breathing audible.

Lu Luozhu asked again, “You’re really not happy at all?”

Qi Zi: ?

The alpha cradled her box of sweets, resting her forehead against Qi Zi’s shoulder with a nuzzle.

“I’ve reached an agreement with President Xu about investing in the film. Funding won’t be an issue on her end.”

Qi Zi looked surprised. “You settled it?”

Lu Luozhu flashed Qi Zi a glimpse of President Xu’s WeChat contact page.

“We’ve even exchanged contact details.”

The little canary eagerly sought praise from her patron. “Madam, aren’t I impressive?”

Qi Zi had intended to introduce Lu Luozhu to potential contacts, never actually expecting her to secure investments successfully.

Her studio wouldn’t allow the film’s post-production to fail due to funding shortages anyway.

In Qi Zi’s estimation, Lu Luozhu had always been incompetent—even if she made money, it was probably small gambling wins after massive losses.

Investment skills?

Pure dumb luck. Lu Luozhu didn’t seem the investing type.

Today’s seemingly well-behaved appearance before outsiders didn’t change that she hadn’t genuinely networked with anyone.

Qi Zi reassessed the alpha currently preening in her arms, watching as Lu Luozhu twirled a lock of hair between two fingers.

Qi Zi: “.”

Oh well. Qi Zi always practiced encouragement-based parenting with Ningning.

This alpha’s intelligence wasn’t much higher than the child’s.

Achievements deserved rewards. The softest part of Qi Zi’s heart tingled.

Suddenly, the alpha’s face was cupped in her hands.

Before Lu Luozhu could react, Qi Zi’s lips brushed against hers in a butterfly kiss.

The serious award-winning actress traced Lu Luozhu’s lips with her tongue.

The sweet fragrance of pear blossoms bloomed across their palates.

Five slender fingers slipped between Lu Luozhu’s like darting fish, interlacing tightly.

“Good job. Your reward.”

In the next instant, Lu Luozhu reversed their positions, pinning Qi Zi’s hand against the backseat as she claimed her mouth in a fiercely possessive kiss.

—Qi Zi tried to pull away, but omegas were biologically wired for endless dependence on their alpha’s pheromones.

“Lu Luozhu, how dare you!”

Further scolding was smothered against Lu Luozhu’s lips.

“You’re so hard to please, Qi Zi. Few people rival your difficulty. I failed to make you happy at tonight’s banquet—my planning was inadequate. Please give me another chance to properly cheer you up.”

Qi Zi couldn’t comprehend what Lu Luozhu was saying, her rationality quickly interrupted by another kiss.

When the car arrived at the villa’s underground garage, Qi Zi didn’t even have the strength to get out.

The alpha claimed to be treating her pheromone disorder, but only provided minimal alpha pheromones.

She had to actively seek more from him to get a satisfactory amount.

How outrageous!

…

After returning home, the taken-advantage-of Qi Zi grumbled her way upstairs without even glancing at Lu Luozhu.

Ningning successfully obtained her mother’s hunting spoils, pouncing from the sofa like a kitten hearing a can opener—

nearly knocking Lu Luozhu over.

“No sweets tonight.”

Qi Zi upstairs seemed to sense the commotion below. Clomp clomp clomp—she came downstairs, scooped Ningning into her arms, grabbed the dessert box from Lu Luozhu’s hand with her free arm, then clomp clomp clomp back upstairs.

Lu Luozhu found her arms empty—no dessert, no child.

So adorable, like two little animals.

Lu Luozhu couldn’t help but chuckle. After washing up and changing into pajamas, she paused outside Qi Zi’s door, her fingers stopping just an inch from knocking.

On the other side of the door, the child in Qi Zi’s arms looked up with teary eyes.

“Want sweetie.”

“No sweetie.”

The aloof movie queen said expressionlessly, “Sweets cause cavities.”

“But Mama gives me sweetie.”

The well-behaved child didn’t cry or fuss, just nestled against her mother’s chest with longing eyes.

The child in her arms resembled a kitten waiting to be fed.

It was past snack time. Qi Zi opened the dessert box—inside were common buffet pastries.

“You’re mistaken. This isn’t from your mother.”

The child hugged her frog plushie and whined.

“Mama gives Ningning. Mama loves Ningning most.”

“If only Mama wasn’t Ningning’s stepmother.”

Qi Zi’s lips curled in a mocking smile as she kissed the obedient child’s head.

“Children are so easily fooled.”

Your mother clearly loves money most.

With complete seriousness, Qi Zi declared: “This cake was given to me by your mother. No sweetie for you.”

Child: “QWQ”

The sweet cream melted in her mouth, neutralizing the strange sensation left by the alpha pheromones.

Qi Zi worried—if Lu Luozhu knew she’d ignored her uncle, would she blame her?

Between them existed an inherent, irreconcilable conflict.

…

Unaware her cake had been entirely consumed by Qi Zi, Lu Luozhu found the following days unusually peaceful. Qi Zi occasionally stayed at the sanatorium for medical treatment.

With stable alpha pheromone intake, Qi Zi’s heat cycles gradually normalized.

Before New Year’s, Lu Luozhu was invited to film a parenting show. By her return, it was nearly Lunar New Year’s Eve.

Qi Zi had Spring Festival Gala invitations from various TV stations, leaving only Lu Luozhu and Ningning—an orphan and widow pair—at home.

Qian Qianqian put down her rolling pin. “Stop making that abandoned-palace-concubine face.”

Lu Luozhu gave the child some dough to play with as she skillfully rolled out dumpling wrappers,

“A male alpha who can only secure his place at home by living off his wife—you wouldn’t understand the daily struggles. If my wife sees a younger, more attractive alpha outside and wants to bring them home, I’d probably have to vacate the guest suite and move to the basement.”

Qian Qianqian desperately wished Lu Luozhu would shut up. Did this woman have no sense of celebrity image at all?

Qi Zi was recording the Spring Festival Gala at the TV station, while the crew of the parenting show was broadcasting a special episode live from Lu Luozhu’s home.

In the Baby Go! livestream:

“No way, sis, are you acting again?” “LMAO, the manager’s holding a rolling pin like she’s ready to strike.” “Aww, the dumplings Lu Luozhu made are so cute—little ingot shapes! And Ningning quietly making snowmen next to her is adorable.” “Dead at this soap opera-level drama.” “Lu Luozhu, you truly embody the self-awareness of a freeloading alpha.”

Lu Luozhu merely smiled at the chatroom’s teasing as she kept shaping plump, round dumplings.

The night deepened, and the livestream continued until 2 a.m. The sounds of the Spring Festival Gala echoed through the empty living room. The manager, off-duty for once, had left on time. Before the camera, Lu Luozhu cooked a pot of dumplings and ate with the child.

Perhaps due to the worsening cold, her heart condition grew more pronounced. While the chatroom kept joking, Lu Luozhu felt sharp pains radiating from her chest.

As a child, she’d loved dumplings most—meat was rare, and the Lunar New Year was one of the few times she could eat it.

Her gaze fell on the last plump dumpling in her bowl. A simultaneous ache pulsed through her mind and heart.

A bizarre hallucination overtook her:

The bowl wasn’t Qi Zi’s luxury-branded tableware but a dented stainless-steel mess kit.

The chopsticks in her hand weren’t sandalwood but mismatched bamboo ones—one long, one short.

Layered voices suddenly crowded her ears:

“I got this first! You can’t have it!”
“Teacher’s favorite is me! She said I’d live with rich people and eat dumplings whenever I want!”
“You’re a bad thing, a little beast. You don’t deserve dumplings, heeheehee!”

Each throb of pain in her chest hammered into her skull. Suppressing her trembling hands, Lu Luozhu set down the chopsticks and draped a blanket over the sleeping Ningning.

The child stirred lightly at the touch, limbs wriggling as she burrowed into Lu Luozhu’s arms.

“Mrrow.”

Masking her discomfort, Lu Luozhu murmured, “Are you a kitten in disguise, baby?”

In the Baby Go! livestream:

“Watching this too long lowkey feels like witnessing a lonely spouse waiting at home.”
“My heart aches for Lu Luozhu—her eyes look kinda sad?”
“I hereby declare my life goal: save up to marry an alpha like Lu Luozhu and pamper her rotten.”
“V me 50, sis. Prove your dedication.”

…

Backstage at the Gala, Qi Zi also had the livestream open. Watching the pair curled up on the sofa as the New Year countdown played, an indistinct soreness prickled her heart.

Lu Luozhu’s mood was off.

Through the screen, Qi Zi instinctively noticed the subtle wrongness in her expression.

To be honest, Lu Luozhu was doing quite well as a stepmother—at least she treated the child well.

“Teacher Qi, want to join us for dinner later?”

An actor familiar with Qi Zi stopped her backstage, tilting her chin toward the director’s group. “Everyone’s going. We booked a table for drinks and fun.”

“Sorry, I have someone waiting at home. You all go ahead.”

Without even removing her makeup, Qi Zi grabbed her bag and hurried toward the exit, her assistant trailing closely behind. Outside, snowflakes swirled in the air, dusting her hair the moment she pushed the door open.

She had the driver make a detour to the bank first, withdrawing a stack of cash to stuff into the red envelopes she had prepared earlier.

The Spring Festival Gala recording venue was at least an hour and a half’s drive from Qi Zi’s home.

Anxious in the backseat, she nervously picked at the surface of the red envelope until a visible nail mark appeared, then stopped with a pang of guilt.

Back then, when Lu Luozhu was little, she had loved dumplings the most.

The orphanage used to serve celery-pork and cabbage-pork dumplings—nothing fancy by today’s standards. If sold in stores now, they’d probably be pulled from shelves for food safety violations.

But at the time, they were the best thing they ever ate.

In previous years, Qi Zi would buy a bag of frozen dumplings from the supermarket. But now, seeing Lu Luozhu had made a whole table’s worth, she dismissed the thought.

Did she still remember those childhood days?

Back then, Qi Zi’s bowl always had more dumplings than Lu Luozhu’s—her little sister would snatch extras from others’ bowls for her, often getting into fights with the other orphans over it.

Proudly standing before her, the little girl would huff, “You’re pretty, so you deserve two more.”

Young Lu Luozhu had been so endearing. Yet somehow, she’d grown into someone entirely different. Last New Year’s Eve, a steaming bowl of dumplings had been flung to the ground.

“Who even eats this crap? You’re so rich—shouldn’t we be at a five-star hotel for the holidays?”

Strange how two alphas could be so different in temperament.

Tucking the red envelope into her pocket, Qi Zi urged the driver to speed up. When the car stopped at the villa’s entrance, she rushed out, nearly slipping on the icy steps but catching herself on the railing just in time—avoiding an injury on New Year’s Eve.

The door creaked open, drawing the attention of the live-streaming crew inside. Qi Zi’s expression darkened. “That’s enough.”

Lu Luozhu lay on the sofa, clutching her chest in sleep, her brow slightly furrowed.

Perhaps due to the camera angle, the livestream didn’t capture her faintly pained expression—and the crew hadn’t bothered to point it out.

Qi Zi’s face grew stormier. “It’s late. Pack up and leave.”

Hearing the commotion, Lu Luozhu—still enduring the ache in her chest—cracked her eyes open. In her daze, she thought she saw the familiar little girl from her past walking toward her.

Thin, unsmiling, never sweet-talking the teachers—never the one to get the good things.

“Big sis, the dumplings today are good. Want me to grab you a few more?”

The words slipped out before she could stop herself. Pausing, Lu Luozhu pressed a hand to her throbbing temple and shook her head. “Sorry, I was talking in my sleep. Happy New Year’s Eve, Madam. I’ll go boil the dumplings.”

The figure before her was no longer the thin, petite, and unsmiling girl, but the esteemed actress teacher dressed in luxurious performance attire. The bracelet on her wrist alone could fetch enough to buy her dumplings for hundreds of years.

As Lu Luozhu struggled to stand up, a sharp pain suddenly shot through her chest. The bowl and chopsticks in her hands clattered to the ground.

The sound of shattering dishes startled everyone.

In the next moment, Qi Zhan blocked the view of the live-stream camera and caught Lu Luozhu in his arms, steadying her as she nearly collapsed forward.

“Are you having a heart attack?”

Lu Luozhu had just taken her medicine and didn’t want Qi Zi to see her vulnerable side. Forcing a strong tone, she said, “We’re still live streaming. Getting so close to me like this, Madam—could it be you’re lacking attention lately and want to stir up some CP rumors with me? The child is still sleeping, so please restrain yourself. Don’t wake them up. Adult matters should be kept private.”

Qi Zi’s face darkened. “Lu Luozhu!”

She really wanted to shut that mouth of hers.

The live stream abruptly ended.

Qi Zi faced Lu Luozhu’s pale complexion. “If you’re feeling unwell, why didn’t you just rest in bed?”

It was rare for Lu Luozhu to see such anxiousness on Qi Zi’s face—it felt oddly refreshing.

Perhaps her mind was still muddled, or perhaps the pain loosened her tongue. Lu Luozhu smiled.

“Spending the New Year alone is lonely. I wanted to wait for you to come back.”

“I thought you might be watching the stream. Consider it as you celebrating New Year’s Eve with me.”