Qin Yushu hadn’t deliberately picked it out.
The Alpha was her choice, and today’s marriage registration day was set by her too. But to be precise—from start to finish, Qin Yushu hadn’t spent much thought on Lu Ningshuang.
She had certainly used her brain and manpower, but compared to the effort she put into snatching projects from others, this was just a drop in the bucket.
It was probably just a casual question asked in her idle moments.
However.
Even this tiny bit of attention was enough to make her subordinates ecstatic.
A simple weighing of pros and cons showed that Lu Ningshuang wasn’t worth that much effort from her yet. It was just that when she opened her closet or stepped out, she happened to see…
President Qin always prioritized efficiency and hated wasting time. But if spending a little time and the occasional thought could yield great results, she would make that profitable deal too.
She was a businesswoman, after all.
Always seeking profit.
See.
Wasn’t the Alpha’s shocked, stunned expression—tinged with a bit of awkward embarrassment—quite amusing?
She would receive far more valuable feedback in return, exceeding the time she invested.
In contrast to Qin Yushu’s “grand” attire—
—at least it looked that way on the surface—Lu Ningshuang appeared far more casual and free-spirited, without a single hint of festive red on her.
Lu Ningshuang said very softly, “I didn’t know…”
“Miss Lu, are you blaming me?”
Qin Yushu countered.
Last night, after Lu Ningshuang agreed, Qin Yushu had indeed said she would pick a day soon for them to go get their certificate together.
But it had only been one night—not even twenty-four hours—and how could Lu Ningshuang have expected it to happen so quickly?!
As expected of President Qin!
Lu Ningshuang shook her head repeatedly.
She wouldn’t dare.
The Alpha tried to make amends. “Then next time, I…”
Qin Yushu’s elegant brows arched slightly. Emotions swirled in her dark eyes, reflecting the vibrant wedding-red outfit outside. A rare playful tease appeared on her dignified, exquisite face.
“This marriage—does Miss Lu want to get it twice?”
Lu Ningshuang: “…”
The two questions in a row made Lu Ningshuang feel like anything she said would be wrong. She could only shake her head vigorously like a puppy, sitting obediently on the side without daring to speak again. Her hands were placed neatly, not daring to overstep even an inch.
Qin Yushu was truly busy—perhaps because she had indulged last night during work hours.
During the short trip to the Civil Affairs Bureau, she handled various business matters.
Lu Ningshuang watched and said, “I could have gone by myself.”
In the midst of her busyness, Qin Yushu looked up. Soft black hair slid along her cheek, densely covering the glands on the back of her neck that had been marked just last night.
Qin Yushu said, “If possible, I would prefer if the Civil Affairs Bureau staff came directly to handle this for me.”
“But coming in person this time, and picking you up along the way, doesn’t take much time.”
A line from those online success-course pitches suddenly flashed in Lu Ningshuang’s mind. “Isn’t time all about squeezing it out?”
Qin Yushu simply set aside her work and looked up at her. “Miss Lu, would you be happier if I came to pick you up like this, or if you went by yourself?”
“Actually…”
“Be honest.” Qin Yushu interrupted, her trailing tone dipping slightly to show the Omega was getting serious.
Lu Ningshuang opened her mouth. “The latter.”
Qin Yushu: “So, isn’t it fine to just say it directly like this?”
The atmosphere relaxed in an instant, like a thousand flowers blooming in spring. As Lu Ningshuang breathed, she could almost smell the pounding floral fragrance in the air.
Then Qin Yushu continued.
“Miss Lu, we do have a contract between us, but while I employ you, for these three years, you will also exist and be active around me as my partner.”
“Since it’s a marriage contract, I have no intention of keeping my Alpha—my partner—like a secret lover, only calling her over when I occasionally need her.”
“Miss Lu, in the future, you’ll need to accompany me to some formal occasions too. I hope you understand that.”
Qin Yushu’s voice was unhurried, breaking it down point by point and feeding it straight into Lu Ningshuang’s ears.
The ever-obedient Lu·Good Girl·Ningshuang could only nod repeatedly.
“I hope, Miss Lu, that in our future interactions, you can be a little more honest. Otherwise—”
“It’ll be exhausting.”
Qin Yushu glanced at the Alpha’s expression and emphasized, “I’ll be exhausted.”
She had “bought” Lu Ningshuang mainly for convenience and utility—bonus points if she could improve her mood—but she didn’t have time to manage the Alpha’s emotions.
Lu Ningshuang: “Mm-hmm, got it.”
After “training” her pet Alpha, Qin Yushu returned to her work, leaving Lu Ningshuang alone.
At first, she felt a bit unaccustomed—even though they were on the way to get married, the time she spent alone with Qin Yushu… wasn’t actually that much.
But then she thought about it: most of their alone time together had been spent completely bare with each other… cough cough. They’d seen the most intimate moments already. Compared to that, this was nothing.
She was about to become a live-in Alpha son-in-law. She knew her family’s conditions well. Compared to Qin Yushu’s background, Lu Ningshuang could already imagine the awkward mockery she’d face in the future would be plentiful.
To live more comfortably, it was best to shed her thin skin early.
Lu Ningshuang felt relieved, enlightened.
Then she stopped sitting properly and lounged lazily against the car seat—playing! On! Her! Phone!
No need to feel embarrassed.
Forget whether Qin Yushu was handling business secrets; with her status as a live-in Alpha and her major, she really… couldn’t help with anything.
Sorry, she was useless QAQ.
Qin Yushu, after Lu Ningshuang fully relaxed, inadvertently glanced over.
The Alpha had a fair and soft face. Sitting there, she exuded no aggression at all.
Qin Yushu suddenly thought of those cat owners.
She didn’t keep cats herself.
But having a cat nearby—when tired or weary, just pull the kitty over, give it a good pet and sniff, and instantly release the fatigue. Was it something like that?
Moreover, the cat she picked not only had beautiful fur but could turn into a tiger when needed for other uses. Truly a great value.
A relaxed smile that Qin Yushu herself didn’t notice flowed in her eyes.
The Lu Kitty herself, who was being intensely petted in her mind, had no idea. Because she received a message from Lu Fugui—Lu Chengyue.
How rare.
She opened it.
【Lu Fugui: Does the one you’re marrying have any other friends?】
【Really Want to Be Kept by a Rich Woman QAQ: Why?】
Somehow, Lu Ningshuang had an ominous premonition.
【Lu Fugui: Just ask them. See if they have the same needs. I can provide services here.】
Lu Ningshuang hissed: 【You want to pimp?】
【Lu Fugui: ???】
【Lu Fugui: Why do you have to phrase it so harshly?】
【Lu Fugui: Can’t it be me going myself?】
Lu Ningshuang’s eyes went blank as if losing color, her fingertips unconsciously typing a string: 【?????????】
Even more terrifying!
Lu Ningshuang tried to sort out the logic: 【If I remember correctly】
【You’re a Beta, right?】
【Lu Fugui: So what about Beta? Does Beta eat your rice? Look down on Betas?】
【Lu Fugui: Helping me ask won’t cost you a piece of flesh.】
【Lu Fugui: Plus, Betas have no pheromones or gland troubles—convenient, quick, no entanglements, can leave anytime. Super convenient. Maybe someone has a taste for it.】
【Lu Fugui: Cousin, with such a great money-making opportunity, you won’t share it with me? Are we even blood sisters—get rich together, don’t forget each other!】
【Really Want to Be Kept by a Rich Woman QAQ: ………………………】
Hard to say.
Cousin or not, they weren’t really “blood” related anyway.
But for this cousin whose eyes were filled with money, Lu Ningshuang really didn’t know how to evaluate her.
She didn’t even dare look at Qin Yushu.
How to put it—Lu Fugui’s current request gave her a feeling like she was in ancient times at a selection for concubines, picked by the emperor to be a consort, and then one person ascends, the whole family rises!
In short, it didn’t feel grounded.
—Qin Huang was an empress too!
Over there, seeing no reply from Lu Ningshuang for a while, Lu Chengyue pulled out her ultimate weapon.
【Lu Fugui: How dare you assume their orientation?】
Lu Ningshuang: 【……】
Fine.
She had indeed figured out the correctness.
Lu Ningshuang typed: 【I screenshotted it.】
【Lu Fugui: ?】
Lu Ningshuang: 【If you keep messing around, I’ll send the screenshot to Uncle and Aunt.】
【Lu Fugui: ……】
【Lu Fugui withdrew a message.】
【Lu Fugui withdrew a message.】
【Lu Fugui withdrew a message.】
【Lu Fugui: You didn’t see anything just now.】
Lu Chengyue’s parents were both university professors. If they saw such shocking words, the consequences were imaginable.
How strange.
Such an erudite and elegant academic family produced a child who loved money like her life. It showed the power of money’s corruption.
Sinful!
Let her bear it all!!
After finishing the nonsense chat with Lu Chengyue, Lu Ningshuang looked up and saw that Qin Yushu had put away her laptop at some point and was now looking at her.
The Omega’s beauty was stunning, and when she turned her head, a softness seemed to linger in her deep black eyes.
Caught in that gaze, Lu Ningshuang softened her voice involuntarily. “Are you done with work?”
Qin Yushu noticed.
When Lu Ningshuang chatted with others earlier, her expressions were lively and vivid. But in front of her, she became more reserved and cautious.
That made sense.
Their interactions weren’t that deep yet. Only in bed could the Alpha show her “true colors” uncontrollably.
Hiss—
Pretty fierce.
Turning from a little milk cat to a little wolf dog in an instant.
The timing wasn’t right yet, so Qin Yushu wasn’t in a hurry to push things forward or break their current dynamic—playing with a pure younger Alpha when bored was fun too, wasn’t it?
So, Qin Yushu nodded slightly. “Temporarily wrapped up.”
“President Qin works so hard,” Lu Ningshuang sighed.
Qin Yushu smiled instead. “If I don’t work hard, how could I… find an Alpha like you, Miss Lu.”
She swallowed two words in the middle, but everyone understood.
Qin Yushu opened the car door. “Let’s go.”
Lu Ningshuang looked.
They had already arrived at the Civil Affairs Bureau.
Qin Yushu got out first, and Lu Ningshuang followed, lagging a bit behind.
Then, Qin Yushu paused.
Lu Ningshuang behind her stopped too.
