Chapter 8

The little girl lifted her head to look at Lu Ningshuang, as if she were inspecting merchandise.

She was very pretty.

Her big grape-like eyes were watery, her hair naturally curly, her fair cheeks chubby with baby fat. She wore a fluffy jacket that made her look extra soft, and she had two bunny ears on her back—like a little snowball.

She was an exquisite doll.

Holding her head tilted back to look up was tiring, and her whole little body leaned backward, nearly toppling over.

Lu Ningshuang grabbed the bunny ears on the back of the girl’s fluffy jacket and pulled her steady, while bending down to let her see more clearly.

Lu Ningshuang was still soft-hearted. “Be careful.”

Hm?

So soft. She squeezed it again.

The little dumpling had her fate’s bunny ears gripped but hadn’t noticed Lu Ningshuang’s little action. Her face showed relief—”Phew, safe”—and she could no longer maintain her previous cool demeanor.

Seeing Lu Ningshuang lean in voluntarily, the black grape eyes suddenly lit up. “Qualified! It’s you~!”

Lu Ningshuang: ?

Lu Fugui shoved her aside. As expected of cousins—close enough to grab when needed and toss aside when not.

Lu Fugui smiled ingratiatingly like the Big Bad Wolf’s grandmother. “May I ask how you’ll pay the balance?”

Xiao Yi from Magic Fairy Castle tapped on her Little Genius children’s smartwatch. With a wave of her chubby paw, she declared grandly, “WeChat. You scan me.”

Lu Fugui: “Got it!”

Then she shoved Lu Ningshuang right into Xiao Yi’s hands—if she could hold her, that was.

“Cash on delivery. She’s yours starting today.”

Both parties in the transaction were very satisfied.

Lu Ningshuang grabbed Lu Chengyue and asked. Only then did she realize she’d been sold by her cousin to the little dumpling in front of her—for a one-day “mommy” experience.

“Wait, wait—”

Lu Ningshuang tried to sort out her thoughts. “What about her real parents? Is this really okay? And there’s a parent-teacher conference at the kindergarten later…”

“They’re both busy,” came the little girl’s soft, glutinous voice from behind Lu Ningshuang.

She turned around.

The little girl continued, “But the parent-teacher conference requires a parent to attend. No one in my family was available, so I bought a temporary one myself.”

She clearly liked Lu Ningshuang a lot—just look at how readily she’d paid upfront.

“Who says a baby can only have two mommies?”

The dumpling blinked her sparkling big eyes and spread her arms wide. “Sister, you need to think bigger.”

Hm, except her arms were a bit short.

Lu·Small-Minded·Ningshuang thought.

“Sister?” She looked again at the little one’s head, tilted slightly in confusion.

Damn, the head tilt kill.

She was done for—utterly moed!

The unscrupulous middleman Lu Fugui had already run off.

Lu Ningshuang sighed. “Let’s go.”

“Temporary Mommy, hold my hand. I’ll take you to meet the other kids’ parents.”

As expected of a child who’d bought her own parent. At five years old with a kindergarten diploma, she was no longer as childish as a three-year-old.

She seemed so mature!

Lu Ningshuang bent down slightly and took the little girl’s soft, tender hand. “Okay.”

Through their chat, Lu Ningshuang learned the little girl’s name was Fu Junyi.

Lu Fugui had originally planned to take the job herself—the pay was too good to pass up. But the kid specifically wanted a gentle mommy, so she’d roped in Lu Ningshuang and only taken a middleman’s cut.

What a loss.

The little girl was very popular and well-known in the kindergarten. As they walked, quite a few kids and parents greeted them.

“Little Yi, is this your sister?”

Fu Junyi, the pure social butterfly, always answered proudly and loudly, “No, this is my new mommy.”

The other person looked surprised, then slowly turned to Lu Ningshuang.

Mommy Lu herself said, “I take good care of myself. Oh, don’t let my looks fool you—I’m turning twenty-eight, almost thirty this year.”

“You really don’t look it. Which salon did that? The results are amazing—recommend it?”

“…”

Well, Lu Ningshuang’s social skills weren’t bad either.

The kids and parents might not recognize her, but the kindergarten parents all knew.

After all, the children were young and needed close supervision from parents. Plus, this was an elite kindergarten with sky-high fees, so they ensured the safety of every child. All parents and even drivers’ faces were memorized.

Soon enough.

Lu Ningshuang and little Fu Junyi were called to the principal’s office together.

“Principal Auntie, this is the mommy I bought myself. She’s not dangerous—I have the transaction record to prove it.” With that, Fu Junyi started fumbling with her children’s watch.

The principal was a Beta woman in her fifties. Time had left traces on her face, but it hadn’t worn away her elegance and calm.

Fu Junyi sat on the office chair, her little radish legs dangling far from the floor, swinging back and forth.

She wasn’t scared at all, speaking clearly and confidently, her chubby face full of poise. She was clearly a child raised with lots of love.

In comparison, Lu Ningshuang seemed much more nervous.

It was strange—she’d always been a good student with solid grades, the pride of everyone around her. But she was inexplicably afraid of teachers.

Every time she was called to the office, she’d psych herself up on the way, rehearsing dialogues and answers over and over. Asking questions in class? Absolutely impossible!

Principal He poured her a cup of water.

Lu Ningshuang: “Thank you.”

Principal He: “Don’t be too nervous. We’ve contacted Fu Junyi’s parents—they’re not pursuing it. We’ve also reached the person who can handle this, and they’re on their way.”

Lu Ningshuang: “…”

Thanks for the reassurance, but what if she got even more nervous?

During the wait, Lu Ningshuang sat there sipping her tea bit by bit. The little dumpling soon grew restless and flailed her short legs toward the side table.

Lu Ningshuang jumped and quickly grabbed her. “What are you doing?”

Fu Junyi blinked. “Temporary Mommy, I want to eat the stuff on the table.”

Principal He had left for something but told Lu Ningshuang before going that the snacks and fruit on the table were fine to eat.

After all, they had asked her to wait here to sort out Fu Junyi’s matter—not detain a criminal.

“What do you want? I’ll get it for you.”

“That pink candy.”

“Okay.”

“And the blue one, the green one, the yellow one…”

Lu Ningshuang paused. “Kids can’t eat too much candy.”

“I know, I know. It’ll cause cavities, right?” She’d thought a lecture was coming, but the little girl knew quite a bit.

But she knowingly committed the crime anyway.

“My baby teeth are still the ones I was born with—they haven’t fallen out yet. So even if they rot, it’s fine. They’ll be replaced anyway.”

Fu Junyi analyzed logically. “Ah, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime chance—if you don’t use it, it’s wasted. That’s called a… carpe-something. I know it.”

She even shot Lu Ningshuang a smug look.

“It’s a bug,” Lu Ningshuang corrected, not caring if the kid got it. In the end, she only took the original pink candy and dangled it in front of Fu Junyi.

“No.”

“You only get this one.”

The little girl’s chubby cheeks puffed up like a hamster’s. “New Mommy’s mean too. I’m giving you a bad review.”

“Then give it.”

!

Fu Junyi was stunned. “How can you say that? Aren’t you scared? Bullying a kid!”

“Oh.”

Lu Ningshuang was busy peeling the candy wrapper for her.

It was her first time playing mom, and she’d already been caught red-handed and was about to get called out to the principal. She figured this was a one-off gig anyway—no repeats—so she could afford to be a bit bold.

“Only one. Eat it?”

Fu Junyi’s face was puffed with anger, but her body was honest. “Eat!”

As Lu Ningshuang reached out, she leaned her head forward instead, then chomped down with a fierce dragon roar—nom!

Afraid the little dumpling would fall, Lu Ningshuang steadied her. But once she got the sweetness, the dumpling turned on her.

She twisted her head away, her face blissful from the sweet candy, round eyes squinting in delight.

Lu Ningshuang spoke up. “Teeth can grow back, but think about it—how long does it take from rotting to falling out to growing new ones? And how uncomfortable will it be in between?”

From their interactions so far, Fu Junyi was clearly a smart kid. Some things could be explained clearly, letting her think for herself.

“And if it’s bad, the bugs could burrow into your tooth roots. Then even your new teeth might rot.”

No matter how smart Fu Junyi was, she was still just five. Her mouth dropped open, and she shook her head frantically.

“No bugs! No bugs—”

Her mouth gaped so wide the candy nearly fell out. She quickly covered it.

Still couldn’t bear to let it go.

Her dark, watery eyes grew damp. “Xiao Yi only eats one a day, and I brush seriously morning and night. It should be… fine, right?”

“Okay,” Lu Ningshuang said.

“Wah—”

The little girl suddenly broke down. Lu Ningshuang hurried to comfort her. “What’s wrong?”

“But… but Xiao Yi already ate two today! Waaah!”

The little girl cried her heart out, her snowy-white face turning red. Lu Ningshuang softly cooed to soothe her.

“Eating one extra occasionally is fine. We’ll brush twice tonight and scrub it off… okay?”

The little girl nodded, her glutinous voice agreeing, “Okay~”

Tears still clung to her eyelids. Lu Ningshuang held her close and noticed up close how exceptionally long the little one’s lashes were.

Her dark, roving eyes and slightly curly hair gave a familiar feeling, but Lu Ningshuang couldn’t place it for the moment.

Kids’ emotions came and went fast.

She hadn’t even finished the candy when Fu Junyi grew fidgety again, wiggling her bottom. “New Mommy, can you carry me to the table over there?”

She promised, “I won’t eat! Just look!”

“Sure.” Lu Ningshuang figured she could watch closely later to stop any grabbing. She was about to move.

Click—

The office door opened.

“The parent of little Fu Junyi, the situation is this. She’s inside with the temporary parent right now. You…”

Principal He’s voice came through. Lu Ningshuang’s teacher-fear radar blared, and her body stiffened instinctively.

“Auntie!” the little dumpling called crisply.

Lu Ningshuang steeled herself and looked over. She had to face it eventually. But this glance left her stunned all over again.

Now Lu Ningshuang finally knew what felt familiar.

The little dumpling’s auntie was… Qin Yushu???

It was a rest day.

Away from the office, the Omega had shed her usual business attire. She wore a ginger-yellow sweater underneath, paired with dark wide-leg pants, and draped in a creamy white wool coat.

Unbuttoned, casually open.

She looked like snow amid the mountains.

No scarf either—her snowy, slender neck was exposed.

Wavy black hair, rosy lips, the fairness from jaw to neck, and then the ginger-yellow sweater… creating an exquisite clash of colors.

Qin Yushu’s gaze swept faintly through the room, brushing lightly over Lu Ningshuang before settling on the little dumpling.

She responded, “Mm.”

After hesitating, Lu Ningshuang spoke up. “President Qin.”

“You know each other?” Principal He looked surprised, then smiled. “No wonder Fu Junyi picked her. It all makes sense now. Our teachers were quite worried…”

“Mm.”

Qin Yushu answered the principal’s earlier question. As for her assumptions after that, she didn’t correct them.

Qin Yushu was Qin Yushu, after all—even in a kindergarten setting, she resolved the issue in a few words.

“Let’s go.”

Little Fu Junyi knew she’d caused trouble and didn’t dare get too clingy with her real auntie. She was usually a bit afraid of this auntie anyway. So, she reached her paws toward the warm, soft, and bullyable Lu Ningshuang.

“New Mommy, carry~”

Lu Ningshuang didn’t mind—she’d already agreed to pick up the little dumpling. But then Qin Yushu said,

“Fu Junyi, how old are you?”

“Five!”

The dumpling’s voice rang out clear and bright.

From this, you could tell the little one was still a bit scared of her auntie Qin Yushu. After answering, she climbed down from the chair on her own, huffing and puffing.

Afraid she’d fall, Lu Ningshuang helped steady her from the side. Qin Yushu hadn’t moved an inch from start to finish.

No one knew who was the little one’s true family and who was just the rented one.

Lu Ningshuang had already attended half of the parent-teacher conference earlier, only to be recognized and dragged back to the office. By that time, the conference had long ended, so Qin Yushu didn’t need to participate.

In the end, the only outsider who took part in Fu Junyi’s parent-teacher conference was Lu Ningshuang. It was quite poignant.

*

They happened to run into each other on the way out.

Fu Junyi walked in the middle, with Lu Ningshuang on one side and Qin Yushu on the other. The little one still held her new mommy’s hand, while on Qin Yushu’s side, she tugged at the hem of her woolen coat.

This time, the dumpling didn’t check Qin Yushu’s expression. Clearly, this kind of thing happened often, and the two weren’t as distant as they had seemed at first.

From afar, they looked just like a family of three.

The wind outside was a bit chilly, and the little girl sneezed. Lu Ningshuang crouched down and pulled the rabbit hood over her head.

Qin Yushu watched her. “Doesn’t Miss Lu have another name, like Muzhi Ben Taoya?”

Otherwise, how could she keep spotting her picking up side gigs every time they met?

Today was a rest day, and the one who hired Lu Ningshuang was Fu Junyi—her one-day boss was right here. Apart from that initial greeting, Lu Ningshuang hadn’t spoken to Qin Yushu again.

Hearing this out of the blue, she looked up.

She remained in a half-crouch, and even though Qin Yushu wasn’t wearing fine high heels but boots instead, from this angle, she still appeared towering and superior.

As if lost in the clouds, distant and unattainable.

Perhaps the contract no longer existed, or maybe Qin Yushu would leave sooner or later. The usually even-tempered Lu Ningshuang unusually fired back.

“Then shouldn’t President Qin, who keeps running into me like this, have another name like Xiao Ying?”

Someone actually dared to talk back to her auntie like that?!

Fu Junyi whipped her head around, the motion so sudden that the hood she’d just put on fell off again.

Her mouth gaped open wide enough to swallow half an egg.

Qin Yushu caught the little one’s movement out of the corner of her eye and casually reached out to yank the hood back over her head, giving it a gentle tug.

The dumpling immediately spun around the other way, blocking the view.

Only then did Qin Yushu look back at Lu Ningshuang.

Fu Junyi called Qin Yushu “Auntie,” so she was kin on her mother’s side.

The little one’s eyes did resemble Qin Yushu’s a bit—both pitch-black and glossy. Yet they felt entirely different.

A child’s eyes were bright and clear, full of exploration and curiosity toward the world. Qin Yushu’s, however, were deep and dark, like an impenetrable lake. Even with the most alluring bedroom eyes when she arched her brows, when she focused them on someone, they unconsciously exerted a pressure.

Or perhaps it was a sense of importance, or relief.

Finally being drawn into her gaze.

Qin Yushu’s lips curved up, and she suddenly smiled. The surrounding pressure vanished in an instant, transforming into the breeze through April’s peach groves—vibrant purples and pinks blooming everywhere, ushering in the full bloom of spring across the city.

“Never mind, let’s forget it.”

—After all, Taoya and Xiao Ying were siblings.

Qin Yushu’s gaze never shifted away, lingering long and slow. “Today, little Yi gave me a new idea…”

Her familiar tone carried a hint of amusement.

“Miss Lu, do you do one-day rentals?”