Stepmom Alpha’s Guide to Raising Kids - Chapter 6

Lu Luozhu got her wish—she made it to the trending list.

Tutor Abuses Child

Lu Luozhu’s Stepmother

Stolen Ring

Qian Qianqian saw the trending topics and exclaimed, “Holy sh1t, did Lu Luozhu really sell Ningning’s baby formula?”

“What baby formula?”

Qi Zi was on set filming and had no idea what was going on. Meanwhile, Qian Qianqian was frantically scrolling through her phone backstage, nearly burning through the screen.

An assistant handed her a glass of ice water. “Drink something to cool down.”

As the manager, Qian Qianqian was like the team’s mother, having to manage both Qi Zi and Lu Luozhu. Qi Zi was always professional and required little attention, but Lu Luozhu was constantly causing trouble.

Suppressing a string of curses, Qian Qianqian opened the trending topics—only to find that netizens weren’t bashing Lu Luozhu this time, but the tutor, Li Wanhong.

Qian Qianqian didn’t know much about Li Wanhong. She had been recommended to Qi Zi as a tutor trusted by many wealthy families, known for her strict yet effective methods with children. She was highly sought-after in elite circles and had won numerous accolades.

After reading through the trending posts and taking a few calls, Qian Qianqian slumped against her assistant’s shoulder in despair.

“I’d rather Lu Luozhu had actually sold Ningning’s formula…”

The assistant didn’t understand what she meant, sensing only that her spirit had completely shattered.

Meanwhile, the show’s live broadcast had taken a drastic turn, leaving viewers stunned.

“I thought I was watching Baby Go Forward, not some crime documentary?”

“Why are we at a police station now?”

“At first, I thought it was staged—but this is real??”

“So those bruises people spotted on the baby before… might not have been Lu Luozhu’s doing, but that monster’s?”

“Aaaaah my poor Ningning! I hope my wife divorces Lu Luozhu ASAP and raises the kid alone.”

“Hard to say about the past, but there’s solid evidence now.”

“I checked the official site—that idiot stole a limited-edition anniversary ring worth at least six figures. You can’t even buy it at retail price.”

“I’ve always called Lu Luozhu a terrible stepmom, but this time… I kinda feel bad for her.”

The show’s director hadn’t expected this either. The host stood in front of the camera, staring at the blue-and-white police station, feeling like she was in a dream.

Lu Luozhu was taken inside to give her statement, while Ningning, still unaware of what was happening, clung to her like a koala.

“Mommy, hold me~”

The police officer softened at the sight of the adorable child. “The teacher hurt you often. Why didn’t you tell your parents?”

“Teacher said if Mommy and Mama found out I was bad, they wouldn’t want me anymore~”

“So, I was super good~”

Live chat: “…That’s enough. My heart can’t take this (clutches chest)”

By the time Li Wanhong was brought to the station, her expression had darkened. When she saw the evidence Lu Luozhu submitted, her eyes turned vicious, as if she was seeing the supposedly vain, brainless alpha for the first time.

She tried to argue, but the officers swiftly took her in.

The report, statement, and evidence collection went smoothly. It wasn’t until everything was settled that Lu Luozhu realized the live broadcast was still running.

Lu Luozhu packed up all the current receipts and evidence, sending them to Qi Zi along with a thoughtful summary of the entire case.

A considerate canary like her would surely earn her patron’s praise, wouldn’t she?

Facing the host’s hesitant gaze, Lu Luozhu asked, “Is today’s livestream ending here?”

The host replied, “The audience still has a few questions for you.”

Lu Luozhu, in full professional mode, responded, “Go ahead.”

The host said, “The audience wants to know—what are your thoughts about becoming Ningning’s stepmother?”

Outside the police station, Lu Luozhu held the freshly medicated child in her arms, hugging Ningning tightly with a pang of guilt.

She hadn’t expected Li Wanhong to act so brazenly even in front of the cameras, reaching out to pinch Ningning’s waist. Fortunately, the crew noticed in time and intervened before a second pinch could land.

But just seeing the bruise on the child’s side made Lu Luozhu’s heart clench, even if she usually disliked children.

Lost in thought for a moment, Lu Luozhu finally answered, “I’ll work hard.” To keep both her patron and the patron’s child happy.

The live chat erupted with: ???

The host: ?????

Did you even hear the question properly? That’s your answer?

What do you mean, “work hard”?

…

On set, Qi Zi scrolled through the meticulously organized evidence in the chat window, her fingers tightening around the edges of her phone.

Qian Qianqian reassured her, “We’ll proceed with legal action. Don’t worry, the child will get justice.”

Qian Qianqian knew Qi Zi’s temperament wasn’t as bad as the rumors suggested, but she also knew that once Qi Zi was truly angry, no amount of sweet talk could calm her down.

Especially when a child was involved.

Qi Zi stared at her phone for a long time before finally turning it off and slamming it face-down on the table.

Dressed in her costume, script in hand, her flawless makeup couldn’t mask the exhaustion on her face.

Qian Qianqian, unusually, spoke up for Lu Luozhu: “Don’t be mad at her. Given today’s situation, she did nothing wrong.”

“It’s all because I’ve been too busy with work.”

“It’s my fault.”

A long silence followed.

Qi Zi stood up as if nothing had happened and went to discuss the script with the director. Watching her resume work as usual, Qian Qianqian’s heart pounded uneasily.

She didn’t know the origins of this child. What she could confirm was that Ningning was neither Qi Zi’s biological child nor a relative’s.

The child’s background remained a mystery, but one thing was certain—Qi Zi cared for Ningning more than many families cared for their own flesh and bl00d.

After finishing work as usual, Qi Zi returned home to find Lu Luozhu had prepared a table full of steaming dishes.

Pushing the door open, Qi Zi froze in place. Under the warm yellow light, the child sat on the living room’s wool rug, playing with a frog plushie—croaking along every time the toy squeaked.

Lu Luozhu brought out a freshly simmered pot of chicken soup, the broth still bubbling in the clay pot. Skimmed of excess oil, the clear golden liquid carried the rich, savory aroma of well-rendered fat.

The alpha looked particularly striking today, wearing the necklace Qi Zi had once gifted her and a white jade bracelet that accentuated the elegant lines of her wrist.

A faint trace of bergamot lingered around her, as if she never quite learned how to rein in her pheromones.

Lu Luozhu glanced up and smiled. “Our Qi-jie is finally home.”

Qi Zi’s voice was low, her expression dark but slightly softer than it had been on set. “Don’t call me that.”

Lu Luozhu pulled out the chair for her and brought a warm towel to wipe her hands.

Qi Zi found it strange how attentively she was being served, as if Lu Luozhu was determined to flaunt her “gold-digging” status.

This woman had always been so arrogant before, acting as if marrying Lu Luozhu was some grand privilege.

Lu Luozhu had never been this considerate and gentle in the past, making Qi Zi feel somewhat unsettled.

“I’ve reviewed all the evidence. I have the best lawyers on hand—you don’t need to worry about it.”

“Mhm. Have some chicken soup to warm your stomach.” Lu Luozhu scooped a spoonful of broth and a chicken wing into a small white porcelain bowl. “A little won’t make you gain weight.”

Zai Zai seemed to catch the scent of the food and toddled over, still clutching the croaking frog plushie in her arms.

Climbing onto the high chair, the child said, “Mommy doesn’t have a little frog today.”

Qi Zi looked up, puzzled. “What?”

Zai Zai bumped the frog plush against her own neck. “Ribbit~”

Lu Luozhu’s tone dripped with sarcasm: “My oversight as the head of the household led to a mistake. It’s only natural that my sugar mommy despises me and dislikes the scent patches I gave her. It’s just a shame Ningning won’t get to see a cute little frog on sugar mommy’s neck.”

Sugar. Mommy.

A crack formed in Qi Zi’s composure. She had indeed worn a scent patch earlier, but since it needed to be concealed with makeup on set, she had removed and discarded it during cleanup.

The omega’s long hair concealed the gland on her neck, marked with a small bite—red and conspicuous against her fair skin.

Qi Zi’s expression, which had just softened, darkened again. “Enough. Stop saying things even you don’t believe.”

Judging by the past few days, Lu Luozhu’s behavior had been decent—at the very least, she hadn’t mistreated Ningning, and the child seemed willing to get close to her…

The alpha before her was pleasing to the eye, and the table was laden with dishes that clearly took effort. After her sharp words, Qi Zi immediately regretted them. What if Lu Luozhu dropped the act next time and reverted to her old self?

Qi Zi transferred 100,000 yuan to her phone and said stiffly, “Isn’t this what you want? Here, take it.”

“Spend time with the child properly, behave yourself, and don’t cause me any trouble. Understood?”