Qin Yushu said, “I really need Youyou.”
—Expressing one’s needs so directly was also a form of control.
After she finished speaking, she looked at Lu Ningshuang’s face again.
These terrifying words, which nearly stripped away independent personhood, were wrapped in a layer of sweetness, but at their core, they remained shocking.
They would instinctively drive normal people away.
In this regard, Qin Yushu hadn’t hidden it well—or rather, she hadn’t hidden it at all.
How could President Qin, who dominated the negotiation table, lack even this basic ability to disguise herself?
She simply didn’t want to pretend anymore.
It was also her deliberate choice to reveal this terrifying, abnormal side to the Alpha across from her.
She couldn’t quite explain why at the moment.
But clearly, Lu Ningshuang’s reaction next was the key.
However, the Alpha’s expression right now was a bit…
Dazed?
She didn’t look frightened by Qin Yushu’s “terrifying” words. Instead, she seemed overwhelmed by the flood of information, her brain struggling to process it all at once.
How to put it.
Lu Ningshuang had always thought of herself as pretty ordinary.
Perhaps because the Old Lu Family had so many “remarkable talents,” she blended in without standing out at all.
Although Lu Yezhou and Ning Ruosu practiced a hands-off parenting style with her, they still taught her basic principles of conduct and took care of her daily life meticulously—after Lu Ningshuang became an adult, the clothes and shoes she wore were all prepared by Lady Ning, who claimed they were unsold stock from a friend who ran a clothing store, given for free.
She didn’t have to worry about food, clothing, housing, or transportation at all.
When Lu Ningshuang was bullied by older students at school as a child, the entire Old Lu Family mobilized to stand up for her. Her refined cousin even got into a fistfight over it, while the even younger Lu Chengyue, who hadn’t yet earned her nickname, wailed on the sidelines.
They even extorted some money.
But whether it was her parents or the elders above them like Grandpa and Grandma, none of them imposed specific demands on her.
For academics, as long as she listened in class and scored average to above-average, that was fine—no extra tutoring classes were arranged.
Interest classes followed Lu Ningshuang’s preferences entirely, aside from her parents’ get-rich-quick dreams and the martial arts class forcibly added after she was bullied—which she had actually requested herself.
Their care might not have been suffocatingly overprotective, but from childhood to now, Lu Ningshuang had never lacked affection and love.
She had never been short on love.
When Lu Ningshuang previously told Qin Yushu she had no friends, it was true, but the emotional support friends provided was already fully met by her family.
Hearing Qin Yushu’s words now…
Lu Ningshuang felt no fear at all. Instead, her eyes lit up— the other person said she needed her!
She had never been needed so intensely before!!
This feeling was utterly novel to Lu Ningshuang, even exhilarating, but her parents’ and family’s upbringing kept her grounded with basic values and rationality.
“No way~”
Lu Ningshuang said this, yet she didn’t reject Qin Yushu’s approach. The other woman’s head still rested on the Alpha’s shoulder.
Soft and fluffy, incredibly comfortable.
The little green tea switched to a more palatable phrasing. “But but… if I don’t work, I won’t get my internship certificate.”
Qin Yushu looked up into her eyes.
Clear and vast, like the sky or the sea, boundless enough to encompass everything.
Lu Ningshuang looked back at her.
“Without the internship certificate, I can’t graduate.” As she spoke, Lu Ningshuang tilted her head, her soft long hair cascading down.
It made her look playfully cute.
“People might say later that you ended up with an Alpha who only has a high school diploma. That wouldn’t be good.” Lu Ningshuang said softly.
“Besides, I need to see the outside world… Well, like Sister said, I won’t earn much money anyway. It’s mainly to experience the world, learn new things, so I can have common topics with Sister~”
“And if I stay home all the time, I might get depressed and in a bad mood, which would affect Sister’s mood. A clingy Alpha would just become a burden on Sister’s path to expanding her career.”
Lu Ningshuang’s words were reasonable and appropriate, leaving almost no room for Qin Yushu to argue.
Especially paired with that soft tone, which seemed considerate of others at every turn.
Of course.
If Qin Yushu really wanted to refute, she could—even lay out a one-two-three-four-five-six for the young Alpha.
But…
There was no need anymore.
Even when she released those gloomy, terrifying emotions, they proved useless against Lu Ningshuang.
She could accommodate her unstable moods, just like during every Heat Period when she sought out the Alpha, even knowing she was merely a useful tool in that moment, yet the other woman still served diligently.
At the same time.
Looking at the soft, obedient younger Alpha, who was fully clear-headed and gently pulling her slightly off-kilter emotions back in a non-hurtful way.
Even though it was just something Qin Yushu had deliberately exposed.
Perhaps Lu Ningshuang even knew that, but she tactfully didn’t point it out.
She was testing something, and the Alpha chose to accept it fully, soothing her gently and considerately.
Just like during these recent Heat Period outbursts, when the other woman always satisfied her emotional needs first.
The younger Alpha wasn’t clueless or inconsiderate; she was worldly yet innocent.
Her youth even became an advantage, allowing her to childishly gloss over certain things sometimes.
Calling herself a “little green tea” in the past wasn’t entirely unfounded.
“Fine then.”
After this simple test, Qin Yushu reined herself back in. She said, “Since Youyou doesn’t want to come along that badly, forget it.”
“Sister, it’s not that I don’t want to—it’s really that I can’t get away.” Lu Ningshuang said pitifully.
Now that she’d been let off, she grew bold and leaned in again.
“Are you reminding me to change my mind, Youyou?” Qin Yushu raised an eyebrow and asked.
“By the way, I can approve your internship report too.”
Lu Ningshuang: QAQ
Lu Ningshuang didn’t dare push her luck anymore.
With that matter settled, Qin Yushu didn’t press her further and instead brought up a new topic.
“Youyou, come back to sleep in the master bedroom tonight.”
Lu Ningshuang’s eyes lit up a little again.
She had heard similar words last night, but yesterday, a certain remark had angered Qin Yushu, leading to her banishment back and an observation period. Hearing it again today for the second time, the excitement was naturally less.
“This time, I should be gone for a week—just in case, I’ll trouble you.”
Coming last night, and now again today…
Lu Ningshuang glanced at Qin Yushu ever so slightly and whispered doubtfully, “Isn’t this too frequent? Is it really okay?”
As expected of a domineering CEO swamped with daily affairs, even with an Omega’s delicate body, her desires seemed insatiable.
Qin Yushu reached out and pinched the little green tea’s cheek. Laughter already danced in her eyes, light and shallow.
Far less profound and inscrutable than before.
She said, “I already let you off once just now…”
The Omega’s red lips brushed against the Alpha’s ear, slow and bewitching, in a condescending, threatening tone.
“Miss Lu Youyou, you wouldn’t want your future internship report rejected, would you?”
The female college intern Alpha, pinched right in her weak spot: “…………Ying~”
While congratulating Lu Ningshuang on her return to the master bedroom, over on the other side, Lu Fugui was pondering her grand money-making scheme!
Although thanks to her cousin’s wedding, she had snatched tons of red envelopes in the group chat, she had also sent out two hundred herself!
She was lucky and grabbed far more than that two hundred, but that was her good fortune! What did it have to do with anyone else?!
To Lu Chengyue, the money from red envelopes was free windfall, rightfully hers, while the money she sent out was painfully ripped from her own pocket.
It hurt her heart so much!
Sending two hundred was already the utmost respect for sisterly bonds, and her cousin was clearly living off soft rice now—how could she still have the nerve to take money from a poor ghost like her?!
No way.
She had to earn it back—earn it back hard!!!
Conveniently, her cousin Lu Ningshuang had just handed her a job.
Lu Chengyue’s plan was perfect—
Family business is family business.
The target was her cousin’s love rival, who sounded like a total playboy from the description?
Perfect.
She would squeeze money from both ends: act as a spy for Lu Ningshuang and earn one sum, then squeeze another from that side for “dating expenses”—you want to date without spending? Her cousin was already living the sugar baby life with a rich woman; get lost!
Lu Chengyue planned blissfully.
Too bad she couldn’t reveal her identity, or as Lu Ningshuang’s sister, she might squeeze a third sum—playing double agent and selling intel back to Lu Ningshuang too.
Of course.
That tiny bit of familial affection came first. Mainly, her cousin had now climbed the social ladder with a rich woman and had unlimited prospects. For sustainable development—and since she was still waiting for Lu Ningshuang to introduce her to someone—she could only sell trivial intel to the other side.
Lu Chengyue patted her thin conscience.
Well, at least she and Lu Ningshuang shared the surname “Lu”!
Though Lu Fugui loved money, she wasn’t completely brainless. Though she regretted missing that extra third sum, having attended a noble academy, she knew well that young masters from wealthy families were not to be trifled with lightly.
Plus, they had money and played around lavishly, so for safety, Lu Chengyue decided on the safest, most conservative route—
Online dating!!!
Of course, with her face shown, but not her real one.
By now, Lu Chengyue had borrowed a beauty filter camera, voice changer, and lighting gear from her roommate who had streamed for a while.
Her face was naturally cool and aloof, but with all the effects, the person in the lens instantly became a full-on seductive vixen.
Not bad, not bad.
According to Lu Ningshuang, this was one of that guy’s favorite types.
Next, Lu Chengyue used her alt account named Jiaojiao to add his WeChat—also provided by Lu Ningshuang.
Where’d she get it?
Brother Facai, the all-powerful one, struck again.
He struck again, he was still striking… Brother Facai was omnipotent, awesome!!!
Friend add approved.
[You have added Harold. You can start chatting now.]
Perfect.
Step one complete.
Lu Chengyue edited her message expressionlessly.
Jiaojiao: [Is this Brother Yunyi? I’m the friend of your university classmate Zhao Qianyu’s cousin. That day, Youyou saw you from afar in Aodingburg, and I was captivated by your aura. I really like Brother Yunyi so much that I couldn’t hold back and got your WeChat from someone else. It doesn’t matter if Brother Yunyi doesn’t know me; I just wanted to share these feelings… Once I say it, I’ll have no regrets even if I die!]
That long, sappy message made Lu Chengyue cringe with secondhand embarrassment; at that moment, she felt like she had reading comprehension issues.
A quick reply came from the other side.
As the heir to a wealthy family, Huo Yunyi casually approved a stranger’s friend request and even replied almost instantly.
Harold: [You like me that much?]
A few sparse words plus a question mark, dripping with smugness.
Lu Chengyue, stone-faced: [Yeah! I like Brother Yunyi the most!!]
Money was hard to earn, shit was hard to eat.
This was occupational hazard!
To make her cute fangirl persona more believable, she had prepared stacks of adorable stickers beforehand and sent some over now.
Harold sent another new message, this time voice.
The rich heir opened with classic cocky male playbook: “Send a photo, let me see your face.”
“Anything below 80 points, don’t say you like me—you’re not worthy.”
Lu Chengyue: “…”
She suddenly understood why Lu Ningshuang hated this guy so much and was willing to pay to deal with him.
If it weren’t for the fact that the other party was a fool with plenty of money, she really would have wanted to grab something from the roadside right then and there and crack open their skull.
