Lu Ningshuang was so shocked that she couldn’t even speak.
—Look, even the word order in her speech was chaotic and inverted.
After Housekeeper Nangong said this, she seemed very satisfied with her own performance, her face even showing a hint of lingering relish.
Qin Yushu had walked a short distance away earlier, but she wasn’t too far from them, and now it was their turn to speak.
Under the dazzling light of the grand hall’s chandelier, her gaze turned toward them. As if to please the Alpha, the corners of her lips curved up ever so slightly.
Lu Ningshuang wasn’t swayed by beauty at all right now. Her mind only had two words—
We’re doomed!
Don’t let Housekeeper Nangong’s age of over forty fool you; her eyesight was sharp as ever. She caught every subtle change in Qin Yushu’s expression.
Housekeeper Nangong immediately seized the opportunity: “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen the young miss smile like th—”
Lu Ningshuang didn’t want to endure the awkwardness any longer. She hurriedly interrupted physically with a loud shout, “Where am I staying tonight!!!”
Housekeeper Nangong looked extremely regretful, but her professional demeanor held firm. “As the young miss’s Alpha partner, you will naturally share the same room with her tonight.”
Professionalism complete.
“I’m really looking forward to the day I can hold your and the young miss’s child. The little miss would surely be adorable.”
Lu Ningshuang: “…”
Lu Ningshuang was utterly thunderstruck and instinctively ignored the latter part of what she said. The information in the first sentence was just too overwhelming.
She and Qin Yushu had marked each other twice, but the first time she had run away, and the second time Qin Yushu had left for something urgent.
The two of them had never spent a full night together in the same room.
Although she had agreed to Qin Yushu’s invitation to live together and had come back here with her, wasn’t this pace… just a bit too fast right now?
But she was her Alpha partner now— even if it was only on paper, the obligations to fulfill were still numerous. Sleeping together—in the literal sense of just accompanying her to sleep—should be necessary, right?
So she had no right to refuse.
She had come all this way; hesitating and dithering now would just make her seem pretentious and unnecessary.
Especially since she was the Alpha, the one who stood to benefit more on a societal level…
As Lu Ningshuang agonized over it, Qin Yushu finished her call and walked back. “Prepare the guest room next to my bedroom on the third floor for her.”
“Yes, Miss.”
The housekeeper directed the staff to get to work, appearing utterly reliable and trustworthy—where was the cheesy young master/CEO novel vibe she had shown in front of Lu Ningshuang just moments ago?
Lu Ningshuang now stood in the luxurious villa, her feet warmed by plush slippers, no longer feeling the chill from the floorboards.
The change in her surroundings felt like a dream.
Noticing the Alpha’s gaze fixed on her, Qin Yushu asked, “What are you looking at?”
The investigation report still lay on the table, and Qin Yushu had some understanding of Lu Ningshuang’s character.
She wasn’t someone who admired vanity.
But with all this splendor around, who could guarantee that the Alpha wouldn’t be dazzled in the future? And how long would that transformation take?
“Looking at the gem.” Lu Ningshuang answered frankly.
Qin Yushu: ?
Lu Ningshuang sighed in admiration. “Beautiful and precious gems truly look even better when placed in an exquisite box.”
Earlier, in the rundown neighborhood and the small, cozy rental, Qin Yushu’s beauty had already shone brightly, like moonlight breaking through the shackles of countless stars.
Now, viewed in this opulent villa hall, she could be the sun as well.
It was just that the surrounding light had been too dim before, failing to highlight her brilliance.
Qin Yushu looked at Lu Ningshuang and smiled. “Now you’re here too.”
This time, it was Lu Ningshuang: ???
Qin Yushu said, “How could Miss Lu not know that she herself might be another gem?”
Lu Ningshuang was stunned for a moment.
“No matter how exquisite the box is, it’s just packaging at best, adding a touch of embellishment. A gem’s value comes from itself—it’s beautiful and extraordinary on its own, no matter when or where.”
“Without the gem, the box is nothing.”
After saying this, Qin Yushu added, “Come on, let’s go see the place you’ll be staying temporarily.”
As she walked ahead, Lu Ningshuang naturally followed obediently.
The impact of those words faded, and the Alpha finally reacted. “Why temporarily?”
Shock!
Was her position as the freeloading Alpha so precarious that she could be kicked out at any moment?!
Qin Yushu glanced at the younger Alpha’s panicked face and knew she had let her imagination run wild again.
“Miss Lu, have you ever seen a newlywed couple sleep in separate rooms?”
Lu Ningshuang thought for a moment. “Like those on TV, contract marriages where love comes after marriage?”
“Do they mark each other at night before marriage too?”
Lu Ningshuang thought again. “Some do, a portion of them.”
“Twice in a row?”
She shook her head.
“Not many, then.”
“So our current situation doesn’t fit Miss Lu’s scenarios. The premise doesn’t hold; we’re not acting in a TV drama.”
Qin Yushu brought up the same excuse she had used to lure the Alpha back earlier. “My situation is special, so I ask Miss Lu to bear with me.”
Lu Ningshuang nodded repeatedly, though what she was thinking differed from Qin Yushu.
Who knew when that damn transmigrator would stir up trouble again!
“And—”
As she spoke, they had already ascended the spiral staircase. In Qin Yushu’s villa, Lu Ningshuang was following her lead, walking a bit faster.
She turned back.
Separated by two steps, both wearing flat slippers, the slight height difference vanished on Lu Ningshuang.
Qin Yushu leaned down slightly, yet still looked down at her. “Miss Lu’s current status is that of a married woman.”
Lu Ningshuang: “Hm?”
“If I knock on Miss Lu’s door in the middle of the night because of my heat period…” Here, Qin Yushu paused.
Then she smiled.
“It always feels like the taboo thrill of sneaking to a widowed Alpha’s door at night.”
“Like cuckolding the wife right in front of her?”
Lu Ningshuang’s face instantly went blank again. “President Qin, be serious!”
Fortunately, no one else in the villa was around to see.
The Omega curved her brows and chuckled softly, ripples of affection shimmering in her eyes. “I’m discussing marital duties with my own Alpha. Where’s the lack of seriousness?”
Everywhere!!!
Lu Ningshuang wanted to do something but didn’t quite dare, so she bolted ahead of Qin Yushu like she was fleeing.
“Anyway, not fulfilling it tonight!”
“We’ll talk about the rest… later!!”
She ran fast, her long hair swinging to reveal her neck and the tips of her ears—all flushed with shy red.
Lu Ningshuang had been somewhat reserved upon arriving at the villa, not as relaxed as she was in her own little place.
But after that teasing, she loosened up a lot.
—Yes, a carefree and happy little dog was the best!
The freeloading Alpha Little Lu moved in just like that, bags and all!
However.
Right before bedtime, she suddenly knocked on the widowed Omega’s door!
Qin Yushu was preparing to rest. She had changed into a silk nightgown, her wavy long hair cascading down, the loose collar revealing her delicate collarbone. It was hard to imagine how that silky fabric stayed obediently in place over her nearly perfect figure without slipping.
This was a sight Lu Ningshuang had never seen before.
“Miss Lu, is there something else?” The beauty’s voice was low and weary, inexplicably hypnotic.
But who knew which “sleep” it was lulling.
Lu Ningshuang snapped back to attention. “Room fee!”
As she spoke, she handed over what she held.
Qin Yushu took it gracefully and looked down—it was the 50,000-yuan check she had given the little dog to sign before leaving a few days ago.
Qin Yushu smiled ambiguously. “Miss Lu really knows how to make full use of things.”
Lu Ningshuang pretended not to understand. “Since I’m living here, paying rent is only right.”
Just like the rental agreement Qin Yushu had signed with her not long ago.
With that in mind, Lu Ningshuang added, “President Qin’s previous rent has already been deducted from this at a discount. No need to give it back to me.”
How thoughtful.
“Fine.”
Qin Yushu held the thin check between her fingers, making her index finger look even more slender and alluring.
She shook it.
With the motion of raising her hand, the silk nightgown slipped down a bit further. The fair wrist, bundled up against the changing seasons, finally revealed itself.
“I’ve accepted it. Wishing Miss Lu a pleasant stay.”
Lu Ningshuang: “Thanks?”
With the formalities done, the supposedly exhausted Qin Yushu didn’t turn to leave immediately. Her deep eyes fixed solely on Lu Ningshuang.
The Alpha thought for a moment. “Good night?”
Qin Yushu suddenly smiled, her gorgeous lips curving up.
Everything in the villa was even more luxurious, and even the ambient night lights outlined the Omega’s lips in a seductive crimson, as if they had just been kissed.
Finally.
Amid the flickering lights, along with Qin Yushu’s dark eyes, she fell upon Lu Ningshuang and said softly.
“Good night.”
“Sweet dreams, Miss Lu.”
Similar farewell words had occurred on the night Qin Yushu proposed ending the contract.
But this time, with that extra sentence, the meaning was entirely different.
It became ambiguous… evocative…
The door closed again.
Sealing away the alluring allure inside.
Whether she would have good dreams or not, Lu Ningshuang didn’t know.
But she thought.
Since she had paid up, and President Qin always honored contracts, this freeloading Alpha wouldn’t have to worry about being kicked out easily… right?
Yay!!!
Lu Ningshuang actually had a bit of a problem adapting to new beds.
She had been a day student through junior and senior high, eating and sleeping at home. When she got into university in a neighboring city, she had to live in the dorms.
Even with that bunk bed, it took her a full three and a half years, and she still… never quite adapted 🙁
During her internship, she finally moved out to rent her own place and immediately brought over the mattress from home—that was when she finally slept well.
Of course, she also didn’t want to spend the money.
Switching straight to the guest room in Qin Yushu’s place, the mattress felt surprisingly similar to the one she’d slept on since childhood!
As a result, Lu Ningshuang, who thought she’d be restless all night, slept soundly and woke up refreshed the next morning.
The next day was a rest day.
After over a decade of student life followed by corporate drudgery, Lu Ningshuang’s biological clock was set—waking at 7 or 8 a.m. without fail.
Normally, on a day off, she’d laze in bed playing on her phone until noon.
But now she was at Qin Yushu’s house!
Not wanting to leave a bad impression of laziness on her first day, Lu Ningshuang quickly washed up and went downstairs.
