Chapter 33 Part 3

Right now, President Qin was more than willing to coax her little dog. “You’re prettier.”

Little Dog Lu was appeased in a second and trotted off happily.

Fine, she’d sit… at the kids’ table.

Qin Yushu watched her go. Someone else came up to chat. After a few exchanges, when she looked again to check on her pampered little dog, she found the Alpha standing to her left side.

She simply watched her quietly with clean, clear eyes, saying nothing.

The person who had been talking with Qin Yushu also noticed and, as their conversation wrapped up, left at just the right moment.

“Why aren’t you saying anything?” Qin Yushu asked.

“Afraid of disturbing you~” Lu Little Dog knew her place well.

Qin Yushu: “It wasn’t anything important. If something like this happens again, you can just call me directly.”

Lu Ningshuang nodded repeatedly.

“Why did you suddenly come back?”

Qin Yushu looked her up and down, noticing that the Alpha now held a glass of red wine—Little Dog was going to drink?

“Was there something else? Or did the food not suit your taste?”

Lu Ningshuang shook her head.

In fact, she hadn’t even eaten yet.

The next second, the Alpha handed over the glass of red wine that didn’t quite match her temperament. “Here, for you.”

Qin Yushu took it.

Lu Little Dog had a perfectly logical explanation. “I saw everyone else has one, so you need one too! We can’t lose!!”

Qin Yushu laughed.

She brought the glass to her lips and took a light sip. Under the brilliant lights, her lips, now glistening with a hint of red wine, looked even more alluring and seductive.

“Handed it over? Now you’re heading back?”

Lu Ningshuang nodded again.

“Go on.”

Lu Ningshuang took two steps away.

Qin Yushu: “But don’t go too far from me.”

Little Dog turned back in confusion.

President Qin swirled the bright red wine glass in her hand, exuding a mature, wealthy, and utterly captivating aura. Her words were clear, yet carried an indescribable charm.

“Little kids need adult supervision when they’re out playing.”

Lu Ningshuang: “……”

This parent gag wasn’t going away, huh?

She should just…

Forget it.

She didn’t dare.

Nor was she willing.

Lu Ningshuang headed to the food area.

She wasn’t polite at all!

Thinking that this banquet was hosted by the Huo Family, and recalling how these people had schemed against Qin Yushu, she figured that every bite she took here counted as payback for Qin Yushu, right?

With that in mind, she dug in even more dutifully!

The desserts at the banquet were mostly for show, and to make them more elegant for guests to sample, the portions were tiny.

Lu Ningshuang popped them into her mouth one by one.

The bad news was that they didn’t fill her up.

The good news was that she could taste as many flavors as possible.

Alphas were bottomless pits, and Lu Ningshuang—with her deceptively cute face—was no exception.

“Try this one.”

A slender hand suddenly reached over from beside her, accompanied by a gentle voice. “This is your favorite cherry flavor.”

The voice sounded familiar to Lu Ningshuang, and the line didn’t scream mindless cannon fodder either. She turned around—

And froze!

“Qi Caicai, what are you doing here?!”

The man in front of her, dressed in a sharp suit with an elegant and approachable demeanor, was none other than her “contractor cousin”—Qi! Jing! Ming!!

Though Lu Ningshuang called him “cousin” in her mind all the time, saying it to his face felt awkward.

It was embarrassing and overly cutesy.

Calling him Qi Jingming or Cousin Qi felt too distant, Brother Facai too tacky, so she settled on the nickname that Lu Fugui had given their shared cousin.

Swapping “Facai” for “Caicai”—probably because Cousin was mostly just that adorable!

No flaws in that choice!

Qi Jingming’s narrow eyes behind his glasses curved slightly at the sight of her, a genuine smile spreading across his gentle face.

His temper was genuinely good. He was over five years older than Lu Ningshuang, yet he didn’t get mad at his second cousin’s cheeky nickname. Instead, he smiled warmly.

He must be used to it by now.

She had trained him into it herself!

Next came Lu Ningshuang’s suspicious scrutiny—the current setting, his outfit, and his contractor identity didn’t match up at all!

Fortunately, Qi Jingming was prepared for this scenario.

He felt a twinge of guilt deep down. He hadn’t wanted to… but the elders above had issued a strict order. If he dared spill…

Plus, he’d been through the same thing in his younger years.

But thinking about it, he hadn’t been as pitiful as Little Shuang and Little Yue. His two grandpas from the Qi Family—one with a fiery temper that occasionally flared up—weren’t so bad.

Still, whatever slipped through their fingers ended up buying candy for his cousins. Looking back now that everything was out, it was a small comfort.

Qi Jingming said humbly, “Did you forget? My two grandpas are—”

“Oh.”

Lu Ningshuang got it immediately. The two Qi Family elders couldn’t stand their romance-obsessed son, but they doted on their youngest grandson.

They’d drag him over now and then, stuffing him with goodies or parading him at events…

Lu Ningshuang figured Cousin’s excellence and resilience stemmed from years of being shuttled around like a rental.

Lu Ningshuang: “So they made you come today too?”

Qi Jingming nodded.

Lu Ningshuang: “And outfitted you in this getup. Tsk tsk, looks like Qi Grandpa and Bai Grandpa have been plotting this for a while.”

Qi Jingming: “Yeah.”

Pushing any slip-ups onto the two elders was the way to go.

Lu Ningshuang accepted this quickly—and along with it, Qi Jingming’s offering.

Nom!

Cousin’s taste was spot on—cousin-selected, premium quality!

He was always great at taking care of people, remembering her and Lu Chengyue’s preferences perfectly without mix-ups.

With that topic passed, Qi Jingming—who had completed his daily feeding duty—asked, “Did your marriage partner bring you here today?”

Lu Ningshuang: “Mhm~”

“Where is she, then? Leaving you alone like this?”

Lu Ningshuang: “I said I was a bit hungry, so she sent me to eat. She has her own business to handle.”

Qi Jingming frowned, clearly disapproving. “No matter how busy, she shouldn’t leave you alone. Since she brought you…”

Lu Ningshuang cut in: “Big CEOs are swamped in ways ordinary wage slaves like me or contractor bosses like you can’t fathom.”

“It’s fine, so don’t judge her world by our standards.”

Qi Contractor Jingming: “……”

Had his cousin just gotten married and was already siding with the outsider?

Qi Jingming glanced at Lu Ningshuang’s face, judging from the plumpness that she hadn’t suffered lately.

Then.

“Nice skirt. Looks good on you.”

Lu Ningshuang: “Right? I think so too. She picked it out for me.”

Qi Jingming, hit with the brag: “……”

“I can buy you one too!”

Lu Ningshuang paused mid-bite and looked at her Beta cousin, letting out a deep sigh.

“Qi Caicai, if we can’t afford it, don’t play big shot, okay? Cows say they prefer solid ground over flying high.”

Qi Brag Big-Spender Jingming: “……”

He didn’t dwell on it, but soon his attention shifted to the side effect.

The man frowned. “You’re just wearing that? Shoulders and arms all exposed—aren’t you cold?”

“I’ll have someone bring you a jacket.”

This was family.

More concerned with whether you were cold than how good you looked—Qi Jingming’s mom-friend nature unchanged after all these years.

Lu Ningshuang suddenly recalled what she’d said to Qin Yushu back at the villa.

Whoa!

Had they, fresh off their wedding, already reached the old-married-couple family stage?!

She and Qin Yushu had arrived with shawls, which they’d handed to the attendants upon entering since the hall was warm.

Now, prompted by Qi Jingming, she quickly said,

“No!!!”

“Not cold at all. I finally got to dress up nice—don’t have someone throw any old jacket on me, that’ll be embarrassing!”

Qi Jingming hesitated, then compromised. “Alright.”

They were close as cousin and cousin, but both adults now, and quite grown.

Qi Jingming’s gaze had only swept over Lu Ningshuang at first; now it stayed on her face above the neck. No more childhood head-pats.

From their earlier chat, it hit him in a flash—

The romance-brain gene he’d missed from their dad must’ve gone to his cousin next door!

What kind of millennium fox spirit reincarnate was this President Qin, bewitching his good cousin like this!

Qi Jingming, who only admitted to “mild” siscon tendencies, ground his teeth inwardly.

But.

“What was that thing you messaged me about last time?”

Since they’d “happened” to meet, Qi Jingming asked.

The food area bustled with people coming and going.

Lu Ningshuang paused, her voice dropping. “We’ll talk outside later.”

Qi Jingming nodded.

Her attitude screamed something major—otherwise, why the secret one-on-one?

“Qi Mama (♂)” let his thoughts wander…

Was she asking him to hunt some potion that’d make an Omega fall head over heels for an Alpha? Logically, no such thing existed.

But he’d still look for it.

It was his cousin’s request, and the least harmful fix for her romance-brain… right?

While the cousins ate and pondered, someone called out.

“President Qi.”

Lu Ningshuang’s head snapped up.

Shock, disbelief, even cruel betrayal…

The newcomer merely glanced at Lu Ningshuang before turning back to Qi Jingming. “President Qi, there’s an issue over there that needs your personal attention…”

“I’ll be right there.”

He said it to the man ahead, then turned back. “I’ve got something to handle. I’ll find you after—then we can talk about that important matter you mentioned.”

Lu Ningshuang, stunned numb, nodded woodenly: “…………….”

Then Qi Jingming left.

Leaving Lu Ningshuang with an ugly expression like she’d swallowed a fly while eating.

Holy crap!!

It finally clicked for Lu Ningshuang!

No wonder!

No wonder the Florence hotel name had rung a bell, no wonder young Lu Fugui with just a high school diploma scored a part-time gig here, no wonder Cousin casually offered to get her clothes—

It was all!

His!

Family’s!

Business!!!

All those conveniences for family!!

Lu Ningshuang’s expression turned weird.

She wanted to speak but held back.

She accepted reality with good grace… and felt relieved…

She’d always known Qi Grandpa and Bai Grandpa were loaded, and they’d always looked out for Qi Jingming.

Because he cared for his two younger cousins, the elders treated her and Lu Chengyue well too—there were even precious gifts at home from them.

From his hints, Lu Ningshuang had vaguely known Qi Jingming would return to the fold eventually.

But not this soon…

“Already this fast.” Lu Ningshuang sighed.

“What kind of family is this?”

“Qi Caicai’s been drafted into labor.”

“So his main gig is contractor, side hustle heir to a tycoon empire…? And sole heir at that, with a useless old man—position rock-solid?”

Oh ho!

Didn’t that make her connection to Cousin like hitching a ride to the heavens? He had these channels and never told them—if not for stumbling into it today…

Wait.

She’d probably still go be a live-in Alpha.

After all, it wasn’t her money, and President Qin wasn’t just rich—she was stunningly beautiful too.

Shock faded, and Lu Ningshuang’s mindset leveled out.

Right!

She’d thought it was infiltrating enemy territory; turns out it was her happy home turf!

With Qi Jingming up top, plus the two Qi/Bai Grandpas, what could Huo Yunyi and Old Master Huo do against her!

Just as Lu Ningshuang relaxed—

“Lu Shuangshuang!”

“I thought the back view looked familiar, and up close—it’s really you—Lu Shuangshuang!!!”

“How the hell did you sneak into a place like this?!!”