Stepmom Alpha’s Guide to Raising Kids - Chapter 9

Lu Luozhu noticed the change in Qi Zi’s expression and tilted her head in confusion.

“Are you unhappy?”

The film crew bustled around them, and many cast curious glances in their direction upon sensing the tension.

Lu Luozhu nudged the paper bag toward Qi Zi, its edge brushing against the omega’s fingertips before being swiftly pushed away.

Qi Zi’s expression was terrifyingly grim. When she wasn’t smiling, her gaze was downright chilling—so much so that even the usually composed Lu Luozhu found it a bit unnerving.

Qi Zi simply stared at her coldly, but to Lu Luozhu, it felt like a countdown to an earthquake—ten, nine, eight, seven…

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Lu Luozhu sighed, looking both helpless and exasperated, though notably devoid of the disgust Qi Zi had expected.

“The watch is too expensive. Can you return it? I didn’t actually mean for you to buy it—it was just a joke.”

As soon as the words left her mouth, Lu Luozhu realized how much she sounded like a gold-digging scammer. Her tongue tingled with regret, and she exhaled.

“One shouldn’t accept rewards without merit. Teacher Qi, you haven’t given me enough opportunities to prove myself. How could I possibly accept such an extravagant gift?”

The beauty adorned with pearls and clad in gold-embroidered crimson robes arched a delicate brow. Her fox-like eyes scrutinized the alpha before her, as if testing the sincerity of her words.

“Rewards without merit?”

Noticing that Qi Zi’s tone had softened slightly, Lu Luozhu smiled. “If cooking a meal and babysitting for a bit could earn me a four- or five-million-dollar watch, I’d quit my job right now, drop the parenting show, and become a full-time housekeeper. Within half a year, half the real estate in the capital would be under my name.”

The onlookers who had been eagerly awaiting drama: ?

The crew members who had already whipped out their phones to record: ??

Are you doing stand-up comedy right now?

They thought it was marital discord, but… this?? Seriously??

Well played—luring us in just to feed us dog food.

Qi Zi’s tightly pressed lips finally twitched in amusement, though her eyes remained unreadable. She abruptly grabbed Lu Luozhu’s wrist and yanked her closer, the faint scent of pear blossom pheromones lingering between them.

“What a sharp tongue you have.”

Lu Luozhu was about to respond when a sudden wave of intoxicating pheromones hit her, sending a rush of heat through her body. She looked up to meet Qi Zi’s teasing, half-lidded gaze.

Then, something cold clasped around her wrist.

The expensive timepiece now adorned the little canary’s left wrist—fitting perfectly.

The band gleamed with a luxurious metallic sheen, while the pink dial shimmered under the sunlight, its surface rippling like the scales of a mermaid’s tail.

“Teacher Qi, your costume for the next scene is ready. Would you like to…?”

A young assistant approached with the next outfit. Qi Zi glanced at it, and Lu Luozhu immediately grinned, eagerly scooping the heavy garment into her arms.

The assistant blinked as the weight in her hands vanished. Qian Qianqian, witnessing the scene, opened her mouth but hesitated.

What a bootlicker.

Definitely not a good person.

But anyone who could make Qi Zi genuinely smile had to have some skills.

Inside the dressing room, Lu Luozhu dutifully bent down to help her patron sister unfasten the tightly secured belt around her waist.

The way belts were tied in period dramas differed from modern methods, and Lu Luozhu struggled for quite some time without success, only managing to loosen and dishevel the upper garments instead.

“Idiot, move aside.”

The fabric on Qi Zi’s shoulder had been tugged loose by Lu Luozhu, exposing her smooth, snow-white shoulder blatantly under the overhead light.

Lu Luozhu withdrew her hand sheepishly.

Qi Zi: “Our Luozhu is truly impressive. First time seeing someone tie a dead knot on a belt. What? Afraid someone else might undo it?”

Lu Luozhu: “…”

Had Qi Zi learned sarcasm now?

In the cramped space, the omega’s belt had been knotted tightly, but fortunately, there were ties at the back that could be loosened.

Lu Luozhu: “The designer was quite cunning, leaving multiple escape routes.”

Qi Zi shot her a half-smirking glance.

The belt fell to the ground, and the intricate outer robes split open like a cracked shell, revealing the pristine white undergarments beneath.

Even if Lu Luozhu had no intention of romance, it didn’t stop her gaze from lingering over the beautiful figure—not with urgent desire, but simple appreciation.

Whether she liked Qi Zi or not, she couldn’t deny the perfection of her body.

“What are you looking at? Hurry up and mark me.”

Perhaps deliberately lowered, Qi Zi’s voice was muffled. Before Lu Luozhu could react, the omega pressed the alpha’s head against the scent gland on the back of her neck.

The gland patch was roughly torn away, leaving a red mark on the skin.

The plump, juicy gland, like a ripe fruit, suddenly met the alpha’s waiting lips.

“Mmm—”

Qi Zi clenched her teeth, a hazy mist rising in her eyes.

“Didn’t you say no reward without merit?” Qi Zi’s voice, no longer cool and composed, now carried a tremble of spring’s warmth.

“Taking good care of me is merit enough.”

This wasn’t Lu Luozhu’s first time marking an omega. She knew the general process—just pierce the thin gland with her canines and inject pheromones to complete a temporary mark.

Qi Zi’s body couldn’t retain pheromones for long; they were metabolized too quickly, so frequent marking was necessary to maintain stability.

Theory was one thing, practice another.

The pear blossom pheromones flooded the alpha’s mouth, not a single trace escaping outward.

The omega was like a lollipop waiting to be savored—too precious to bite down on immediately, tempting the tongue to slowly relish the sweetness seeping through.

Qi Zi’s fingers dug into Lu Luozhu’s clothes, crumpling half the fabric.

“Bastard, hurry up.”

Qi Zi suppressed a shiver, urging her on.

“Don’t rush,” Lu Luozhu mumbled in response.

Just then, a knock came from the door.

Qian Qianqian: “The director’s asking for you. Do you need me to get a staff member to help?”

She knocked again. There were faint sounds of breathing inside, but they were too soft to decipher. “Is Madam in there too?”

Less than three minutes later, the dressing room door opened, revealing Qi Zi in loosely draped new costume.

Seeing her disheveled state, Qian Qianqian immediately called for staff to help adjust her attire.

“Is it really that hot today?” Qian Qianqian noticed Qi Zi’s flushed face and, after a moment, reached for the air conditioner remote to lower the room temperature.

The invisible gland on the back of her neck was covered with concealer, making it impossible to detect the gland patch on camera.

Naturally, no one could see the swelling hidden beneath it.

Qi Zi’s face was as radiant as peach blossoms, yet her tone was icier than usual. “The money has been transferred to your account, but I’m not satisfied with your service today. I’m deducting fifty thousand.”

Lu Luozhu’s phone buzzed with a notification—two hundred fifty thousand yuan had been deposited. She still wasn’t quite used to this sudden financial windfall.

“Why are you still standing here? Don’t embarrass yourself further. Get out.”

Qi Zi’s voice grew even harsher. The colder her tone, the redder her earlobes became. She refused to meet Lu Luozhu’s gaze, lifting the heavy hem of her dress and walking away without a backward glance.

Had she bitten her too hard?

The sweet, floral scent of Qi Zi’s pheromones lingered in Lu Luozhu’s mouth. Her fingertips brushed over her canine teeth, as if she could still feel the warmth of that delicate skin between her lips.

The omega’s suppressed, rapid breaths—her eyes had even welled up with tears, the scalding droplets falling onto Lu Luozhu’s shoulder.

Once Qi Zi disappeared around the corner, Qian Qianqian pulled Lu Luozhu aside with a scowl. “You’ve upset Qi Zi again. Kindly refrain from visiting the set in the future.”

As Qian Qianqian escorted her to the parking lot, Lu Luozhu asked, “Is she angry?”

“Qi Zi may be cold by nature, but she never speaks harshly to anyone.”

For her to say something like “embarrass yourself” meant she was truly furious.

Lu Luozhu, however, didn’t believe Qi Zi was genuinely angry. If her sugar mommy were truly upset, she wouldn’t have given her a single cent.

“If Qi-jie’s way of expressing anger is by showering people with money and gifts, then I clearly didn’t do enough. Next time, if she asks for a temporary mark, and I say, ‘Your pheromones smell so weird—I hate it,’ she’d probably be so mad she’d transfer her entire fortune to me.”

Qian Qianqian: “…?”

She shoved Lu Luozhu into the car.

The door slammed shut with a loud bang, as if telling her to get lost as far as possible.

……

A few days later, it was finally time for the reality show to begin.

The crew had arrived early, waiting outside the villa. Ningning sat amidst a mountain of luggage, her tiny legs stretched out, nearly buried under the piles.

“No, I’m taking this. And that stays too.”

For just one week of filming, she had somehow packed over a dozen suitcases.

“Uh… isn’t this a bit excessive?”

“Wait, are we seriously bringing a ninety-thousand-yuan rocking horse to the set?”

“Genuine question—why does my baby need to bring a desk lamp? Are we filming in an ancient town or relocating to a poverty-stricken village?”

Ningning wriggled into Lu Luozhu’s arms like a little kitten. “Ningning wants to bring storybooks too…”

Lu Luozhu stared at the half-person-high stack of books: “…”

Well. At least she loved reading.

Lu Luozhu used to have a weak heart and couldn’t carry heavy things, so she always traveled light, buying whatever she needed upon arrival.

“Mommy can’t carry all this.”

On camera, the audience saw Lu Luozhu clutching her chest like a delicate maiden, her gentle features looking even more fragile than the ripples of a Jiangnan water town.

“Mommy isn’t strong enough to carry more than one suitcase. Be considerate, okay, Ningning?”

Ningning was conflicted. She gazed reluctantly at the suitcase the nanny had already packed, her little face full of distress.

“This…”

Having never traveled far before, Ningning didn’t understand what to bring for a trip, thinking they were moving to a new place to live.

“I don’t want anything else 🥺” Ningning dug out a small frog plushie from her pile of stuffed animals and clutched it tightly, her words tumbling out in anxious incoherence: “Mama must stay healthy, Ningning only needs this little froggie 🥺”

“What a good baby, knowing how to care for her mama. You’re the best baby in the whole world.”

The live stream audience: ???

What kind of emotional manipulation is this happening here???

Watching everything unfold from the second-floor balcony, Qi Zi let out a cold snort: “Lu Luozhu remains as affected as ever.”

A few seconds later, Qi Zi impatiently kicked the carpet with the tip of his shoe. “Bring me Lu Luozhu’s medical examination report.”