Carrying this strange flutter in her heart.
Suddenly.
Qin Yushu reached out and placed her hand on Lu Ningshuang’s head, gently stroking the Alpha’s head.
…Dog head.
Because of giving the protective talisman, Lu Ningshuang was still bent over, which made it convenient for Qin Yushu.
When she lifted her head, she met Qin Yushu’s deep black and unusually calm eyes.
The Omega said, “Thank you.”
“No need.”
Having been woken up early in the morning outside her biological clock, Lu Ningshuang’s mind was still a bit foggy. Hearing certain words, she couldn’t quite process them and just asked blankly.
“Why so polite all of a sudden…”
She and Qin Yushu had only gradually become familiar after living together recently.
Thinking back to the time when she still called her “President Qin”… well, Qin Yushu, this top superior, had always felt too distant to her. From a normal trajectory, the two of them wouldn’t have had any contact at all.
So she respected this big boss, but she had never been trembling in fear. She figured that the esteemed President Qin wouldn’t have time amid her busy schedule to deal with a small employee like her. Thus, even when speaking normally, her tone was casual, though overly polite and cautious.
Even she was like that; Qin Yushu, in her position of power, was even more so.
Don’t be fooled by Qin Yushu calling her “Miss Lu” before—it seemed polite, but it was just an ordinary form of address. The other woman used it because of her good upbringing.
In terms of tone, there wasn’t much difference from how Qin Yushu now called her “Youyou” or “Lu Little Dog.”
It was just a shift from a public address to something exclusive now, as if it carried a deeper meaning behind it.
Even the form of address was like that, so when she helped Qin Yushu with something, the other would follow up with a “thank you.”
But Lu Ningshuang knew that it was just reflexive, requiring no effort at all—just another proof of Qin Yushu’s excellent upbringing.
Behind that thank you, there was no real meaning; it was merely a polite phrase for the moment.
But now—
Qin Yushu’s gaze toward her was calm and profound. No longer in the night, nor lost in waves of passion, the Omega’s stunningly beautiful face seemed to take on a touch of cool detachment.
She was serious.
—This should be a good thing.
But from another perspective, this rare and excessive seriousness seemed to cast a veil over their marriage.
A bit distant.
The elastic band grew tighter and tighter. No one knew if, when it finally relaxed, they would rush toward each other, or approach only to miss and fly apart again, returning to their original distance… or even farther.
Qin Yushu smiled lightly. Her face, which had seemed cool and glamorous, instantly took on a seductive allure.
Perhaps because her dark eyes always lingered on Lu Ningshuang, with the navy scarf covering from her neck to her jawline, taming the voluminous waves into neat curls, revealing a rare softness.
“Youyou gave me something, and I’m very grateful to Youyou. Are you unhappy if I say thank you now?”
The dog head had already been petted, so she might as well lean in closer and let Qin Yushu pet it to her heart’s content!
Lu Ningshuang had a big heart and never bought into any nonsense about Alphas not being touchable on the head. Probably because Old Lu and those Alphas in her family were all pretty meek in front of their wives.
The family foundation had given Lu Ningshuang a good start~
She maintained her bent posture and straightened Qin Yushu’s scarf, her eyelashes fluttering like butterfly wings.
Graceful and dancing, making one unable to resist reaching out to capture this butterfly.
“No,” Lu Ningshuang said, her voice soft. “It’s just that if we go by that logic, I’m eating and living here, and almost everything is something you gave me. If I had to find you and say thank you every time before using it…”
“I’d die of exhaustion, right?”
Lu Ningshuang mimicked Qin Yushu’s tone. “Sis would die of exhaustion just listening to my daily reports.”
With the scarf fixed, she let go while imitating a classic tone from a childhood character, shaking her little dog head vigorously.
“So annoying~!”
The movie was super classic, spanning three or four generations, and even today, it was many people’s childhood.
So even Qin Yushu, whose childhood had few entertainments and a three-year age gap, picked up on the reference.
She laughed.
No longer a shallow smile; her affectionate peach-blossom eyes brimmed with amusement. Reflecting the rising morning sun behind her, it was dazzling and radiant.
“Alright, whatever Youyou says.”
Lu Ningshuang was thoroughly dazzled by the beauty’s smile, her early-morning haze lifting by a third.
She really wanted to say that Qin Yushu looked great when she smiled and should smile more like this in the future.
But she was afraid that if she said it, Qin Yushu would instantly retract that exceptionally beautiful smile.
So Lu Ningshuang didn’t dare. She just softly agreed, “Mm.”
Better to appreciate it more now, then. The little dog stared unblinkingly at Qin Yushu’s face.
Hiss—tch tch tch!
Until the car pulled up to see Qin Yushu off, Lu Ningshuang stood to the side, waving to the beauty.
“Bye-bye~”
Then.
The Alpha, who had thought it was just a send-off at the door and dressed casually in something extra fluffy, had her waist hooked by the Omega. Not only that, the domineering Omega wrapped around her and strongly pulled her along.
Qin Yushu said, “Youyou didn’t think just seeing me off at the door would be enough, did you?”
Lu Ningshuang, now fully awake: “…Huh?”
In the end, Lu Ningshuang still boarded President Qin’s…”pirate ship.”
For a moment, Lu Ningshuang strongly suspected that Qin Yushu hadn’t listened to a word she said last night, or was stubbornly treating her like an accessory to pack off abroad with her.
As for her clothes and toiletries… Housekeeper Nangong could quietly prepare them, no problem.
Her brain, completely led astray by Housekeeper Nangong, even conjured up plots from some “Domineering CEO Forced Love” story.
Criminal! So criminal!!
“We’ll drop you back at the airport,” Qin Yushu said, probably noticing Lu Ningshuang’s unease—her eyes darting around, who knew what nonsense she was overthinking. It was rare for her to explain extra.
Hearing that.
Lu Ningshuang did breathe a slight sigh of relief, but she didn’t understand. “Am I that important?”
The peace talisman Lu Ningshuang had given earlier was already safely tucked away by Qin Yushu, now quietly resting in her coat pocket. Her fingers brushed over it.
The warmth seemed to linger.
Indescribable…
Qin Yushu smiled. “Overthinking it.”
This time, she didn’t repeat last night’s ambiguous words. Meeting the Alpha’s clear gaze, she said, “Who told Youyou to sleep so soundly?”
Lu Ningshuang: “…………”
Was good sleep quality a crime now? Pure jealousy! She just didn’t want her to rest well!!
The poor redundant Alpha little dog dared to be angry but didn’t dare speak… well, actually, not that angry.
“As compensation, Youyou can make one request of me,” Qin Yushu said, knowing well the tactic of carrot and stick.
Lu Ningshuang’s eyes lit up instantly. Under Qin Yushu’s near-encouraging gaze, she declared loudly.
“Then I want to raise a cat!”
Qin Yushu’s fingers, hidden in her clothes, paused slightly as they stroked the peace talisman. “Does Youyou like cats that much?”
Lu Ningshuang thought about it and answered honestly. “Actually, not really.”
Yesterday at work, she had accidentally slipped up and told a little lie, but she hadn’t expected the aftermath to be this big!
That evening, Tian Li sent her tons of new “cat pics” and shared all sorts of cat-raising tips and experiences.
At first, she replied a couple times, but later got too busy and forgot.
When she checked her phone in the morning, the full message bar scared her.
This made Lu Ningshuang clearly realize what they meant by “one lie requires a million more to cover,” and—
Never provoke a cat lover unless you want trouble!!!
To prevent the lie from being exposed, she figured she might as well get a cat early. Qin Yushu had plenty of space; one more cat should be fine, right? She didn’t need anything fancy—just a regular calico or tortoiseshell. Pretty, easy to raise, cheap. Worst case, deduct the cost from her salary!
She couldn’t very well take Qin Yushu—this cat—to go see it!
Lu Ningshuang thought it was a solid plan and shared her reasoning with Qin Yushu. She figured her request wasn’t over the top.
However—
“No.”
Lu Ningshuang: “Huh?”
Qin Yushu actually refused and gave her reason. “Cats and dogs fight when together.”
Lu Ningshuang was baffled. “Is there a dog in the villa?”
She hadn’t seen one in the days she’d been here. Had the dog gotten sick and gone to the pet hospital?
By rights of seniority, sure, respect the elder, but the villa was huge—room for another pet, no problem?
“There is.” Qin Yushu was certain.
Lu Ningshuang: “Then never mind.”
She was just musing anyway; the wish wasn’t that strong. Rejected once, she dropped it.
Lu Ningshuang was lost in thoughts of “where did the dog go” and didn’t notice that when Qin Yushu mentioned the dog, her gaze had always been fixed on her.
The rest of the ride was mostly silent. Lu Ningshuang was the type who got sleepy on long car trips and unwittingly dozed off on Qin Yushu’s shoulder.
They arrived at the airport.
Lu Ningshuang walked over last and proactively hugged Qin Yushu. “Sis, everything go smoothly, and stay safe~”
She hadn’t planned to come all the way to the airport, so she was dressed casually but warmly, all fluffy and round like a little bear.
But whatever.
At Qin Yushu’s place, she was forever a plush little dog. The other woman reached out and petted the Alpha’s head.
“Little Dog has to guard the house well at home too.”
Lu Ningshuang: !
She finally got it—the villa dog Qin Yushu mentioned was her!
Even if her contact name was changed to Lu Little Dog, she was still a person! How could she fight with a real cat? Impossible!
President Qin wasn’t domineering lately; she’d switched to teasing!
But thinking that the other was about to leave to make money, while she lounged at home eating soft rice, what could she do?
Little Dog Lu’s apricot eyes brimmed with grievance. She opened her mouth. “Woof!”
Qin Yushu laughed again.
Just then, someone passed by and happened to hear it. The person seemed like an extra in some adult comic play, tripping over their own feet in panic and stumbling away.
They kept glancing back, eyes filled with horror and inexplicable excitement.
Lu Ningshuang: “…”
Lu Ningshuang had no face left. She buried her entire face in Qin Yushu’s embrace, whimpering weakly.
“Ying~”
Qin Yushu stayed composed. As an Omega, not only did she hold her Alpha and soothe her, but she also looked up, gazing calmly at the passerby without a hint of flinch.
The person fled even faster, practically running.
Lowering her head, she cooed softly and warmly, “Alright, it’s fine now, Youyou.”
Youyou was all “Ying ying ying~”
But her lost dignity… she could never get it back…
Wah!
She cried super loudly!!!!!
“I’ll bring you a gift when I get back?” Qin Yushu offered.
Lu Ningshuang lifted her head, revealing cute doe eyes with slightly red corners—more thunder than rain.
She was faking it.
“Sure.”
The Alpha’s mood brightened instantly. She pursed her lips, reining in her too-obvious smile, but she was expectant. “As long as it doesn’t delay your business.”
Qin Yushu’s petting paused.
The subtext of her words was asking what Lu Ningshuang wanted so she could bring it back.
She was like that with her old classmates or friends—state what you need before birthdays.
But from Lu Ningshuang’s meaning, she clearly wasn’t specifying; whatever came would be a surprise.
Thinking of Lu Ningshuang’s parents—now her in-laws—and the things they sent, also unannounced, whatever arrived was it.
Since it was the little dog’s habit, she should probably adapt…
“Got it.”
Qin Yushu said, her voice softening and slowing toward the end. When they parted, the scarf that Lu Ningshuang had wrapped around her still swayed a little as it was tugged.
“…Not troublesome.”
Qin Yushu’s departure this time lasted quite a while.
Lu Ningshuang kept track of the time; it had already exceeded the length of her previous sudden disappearance. Sigh, who knew when she would return.
The large villa was nice, but after going through all the fun things once, the sudden quiet made staying alone feel a bit empty after a while.
She wondered how Qin Yushu had managed to live there before. Sigh!
Lu Ningshuang was relatively well-behaved. She hadn’t even started wrecking the place yet when Housekeeper Nangong couldn’t hold back any longer.
“Madam, I’ve bought back all the seeds for vegetables and melons.”
Lu Ningshuang, who was left full of question marks by this out-of-nowhere statement: “Ah?”
“You can shovel out the flowers in the yard and replace them with these.” Housekeeper Nangong emphasized, “Miss isn’t here right now anyway.”
Lu Ningshuang was completely baffled.
It was the weekend, the weather outside was beautiful, and she was sitting on a rocking chair in the courtyard, sunbathing. When she looked up, there was a lush expanse of green plants and flowers.
The plants and flowers outside the villa were tended by specialized gardeners with impeccable taste. Lu Ningshuang didn’t know the exact names of every plant, but she occasionally recognized a few, all quite expensive ones. Creating such a pleasing, vibrant landscape in this season must have cost a pretty penny.
So, upon hearing Housekeeper Nangong’s request, Lu Ningshuang was even more confused.
“The flowers outside are blooming so beautifully—why would I do that?”
“Ho~!”
Housekeeper Nangong’s eyes lit up, clearly bursting with something to say. “Wouldn’t this make you seem pure and unaffected?”
Lu Ningshuang: ???????
