Chapter 9

Lu Ningshuang wasn’t clean anymore.

She didn’t understand.

She had only come out on the weekend to do a part-time job, which was perfectly legal and reasonable, but coming from Qin Yushu’s mouth, it sounded like some shady transaction.

Workers on their day off had to stand firm!

So, Lu Ningshuang met Qin Yushu’s gaze. “Yeah, I came out on the weekend to do some odd jobs.”

Qin Yushu drawled slowly, “Let me ask about the price.”

Lu Ningshuang said loudly, “Five hundred a day!”

That was the price she had charged little Fu Junyi earlier, and Lu Fugui had even taken a twenty percent introduction fee, so Lu Ningshuang had netted four hundred for the day.

That was way more than working a regular job, especially for an intern like her.

Qin Yushu’s eyebrow arched slightly. “Not expensive at all.”

It was even quite cheap.

She seemed to ponder for a moment—or maybe not—and subconsciously reached for her phone. “Then give me—”

A few days ago, Qin Yushu had proposed a contract to her, then unilaterally canceled it, and now she was trying to buy a one-day service.

Her monthly salary had jumped from one hundred thousand to two hundred thousand, only to drop to five hundred a day—fifteen thousand a month at best.

And Qin Yushu might not even hire her every day, so she’d earn even less. Her original two-hundred-thousand monthly gig guaranteed at least four times a month. The difference in and out…

She couldn’t calculate it; it was too messy anyway. She was the one losing big time!

Lu Ningshuang quickly stopped her. “This service is currently only available to minors!!”

Qin Yushu’s finger paused on the screen. When she looked up again, her gaze toward Lu Ningshuang carried a deeper meaning. “Actually, I can be five years old too.”

As she said this, her voice softened a bit, leaving Lu Ningshuang dazed for a moment before she snapped back to reality.

“No! You can’t!!”

“Auntie is lying.”

Lu Ningshuang’s firm rejection overlapped with a childish, milky voice.

The little dumpling had turned around. She tilted her head up, and the bunny-ear hat that Qin Yushu had tugged up earlier had flopped down again, with both ears drooping on either side behind her.

She counted on her fingers, dead serious. “Auntie is twenty-five this year, even bigger than Xiao Yi—bigger by a whole twenty years.”

With that, little Fu Junyi puffed out her tiny chest proudly and looked at the other woman.

Come on, being able to do two-digit addition and subtraction was super cool for a five-year-old!

“Pfft~”

Lu Ningshuang couldn’t hold it in.

She immediately caught Qin Yushu’s glance and quickly composed herself.

Qin Yushu’s expression remained indifferent. She glanced once and looked away, showing no sign of pursuing it.

Her gaze shifted to the chibi little dumpling.

Little Fu Junyi turned her body back around on her own. Her ears were sharp; she had just barged into the conversation, turning their private chat into a group one.

As expected of a social butterfly.

The lively little girl was always extra obedient in front of her close auntie. At five years old, she already had her own colorful stories.

The two were clearly familiar with each other, and this kind of scene had become routine. The little dumpling was a bit scared but dared to do it again next time—probably because Qin Yushu’s “lessons” weren’t memorable enough.

There was some familial blood tie, but not much.

Children’s thoughts jumped around. Soon, Fu Junyi forgot all about the previous issue. She propped up her chin and started talking to herself.

It was clear she was trying hard to imitate Qin Yushu’s usual elegant demeanor, but the little one had short arms and a round face, all pudgy everywhere. Her one-to-one imitation only ended up being cute.

“I watched the Xiao Ying you were talking about earlier too. I like Xiao Ying the most!”

Lu Ningshuang helped the little one change the subject. “Wow, you watched it too? Baby knows so much.”

Fu Junyi lifted her chin and gave Lu Ningshuang a CEO-level look that said, Woman, you have good taste.

Lu Ningshuang continued, “Come to think of it, when I watched it as a kid, my eyes were always on Xiao Ying too.”

Fu Junyi nodded in strong agreement. “What do you like about her?”

Lu Ningshuang actually thought back seriously. “The new pretty clothes she wore every time… I guess?”

The little girl’s eyes lit up instantly. “Me! Too!!”

She gestured excitedly. “I love Xiao Ying’s new outfits every time. Mommy made me a super big wardrobe and clothes just like Xiao Ying’s. I’ll take you to see them next time.”

Lu Ningshuang hesitated. “If there’s a chance.”

She didn’t commit fully.

Fu Junyi had only bought her for one day; they might not meet again. Even though the other was just a five-year-old kid, children could remember what adults said.

Lu Ningshuang didn’t want to leave the little girl disappointed.

“No ‘if there’s a chance’! Hmph, I know adults say ‘if there’s a chance’ or ‘next time for sure’ and mean never. Don’t lie to me! Today—let’s go today!”

As expected of President Qin’s relative—super efficient, not caring about others’ opinions at all 🙂

After unilaterally deciding, Fu Junyi tugged at Lu Ningshuang’s hand, then turned to seek help from the one who could make it happen.

“Aun~tie~”

Super soft coquetry.

“No.” Qin Yushu rejected coldly.

“Oh.” The little girl was visibly disappointed, leaving even Lu Ningshuang feeling awkward standing there.

Qin Yushu had learned the full process of Fu Junyi “buying” a parent from the director earlier. She rarely explained to the little girl.

“You bought her today to act as Mommy for the parent-teacher meeting. Your contract doesn’t include her coming home to play with you.”

Qin Yushu reached out and patted the little girl’s head. “Got it?”

“Got it!”

Fu Junyi clenched her fist tightly, her big round eyes full of seriousness. “Next time, I have to add that clause.”

“Mm.” Qin Yushu patted the little girl’s head absentmindedly in response.

Lu · The Party Involved · The Goods · Ningshuang: “……”

Wait.

Couldn’t they discuss business tips in a corner without her?

Whatever.

She felt awkward.

Regardless of whether Lu Ningshuang took similar gigs in the future, today she had “sold herself” to Fu Junyi.

It wasn’t even noon yet.

Standing in the wind wasn’t ideal. Fu Junyi didn’t want to part with her new mommy for now, so Qin Yushu suggested sitting in a nearby shop. Naturally, as the guardian, she would go too.

“Okay, okay!” The little one had no objections and was practically clapping in delight.

She walked in the middle, looking at Lu Ningshuang. “New Mommy, I’m not a baby. I have a name. I’m Xiao Yi.”

The little one pointed at her chin, all imperious like, Woman, I permit you—

“You can call me Xiao Yi~”

Suddenly put on the spot, Lu Ningshuang blanked for a second.

“Okay.” She sneaked a glance at Qin Yushu afterward. The woman’s thick wavy hair half-covered her side profile.

No rebuttal.

“Then call me once.”

Not getting the response she wanted, the little girl’s mouth flattened into a pout, her voice all soft and whiny. “Call me, call me~”

Lu Ningshuang: “Xiao Yi.”

Fu Junyi’s eyes curved into crescents, and she chirped crisply, “Yup! Good niece!!!”

Lu Ningshuang: ????

The next second.

The little girl’s forehead got flicked. Following that slender fingertip back, there was Qin Yushu’s stunning yet aloof face.

“Don’t bully her,” Qin Yushu said.

There was no prefix like “that’s rude” or “that’s not right.” It felt less like teaching the kid and more like simply speaking up for Lu Ningshuang.

As Fu Junyi, the niece, knew Qin Yushu better than Lu Ningshuang the worker did.

That expression brooked no argument.

Rubbing her forehead, the little dumpling turned to apologize to Lu Ningshuang. “Sorry, sister.”

“No worries, no worries.”

The kid was just joking and hadn’t meant it. Plus, Qin Yushu had corrected it on the spot. The ever good-tempered Lu Ningshuang didn’t take it to heart.

She even eyed the little girl’s forehead with a frown, worried. “Does it hurt?”

Fu Junyi shook her head. “Auntie didn’t use force. Xiao Yi is a strong kid. Xiao Yi is fine. If sister feels unwell anywhere, tell Xiao Yi, okay? Don’t hide it…”

“Isn’t she the one-day mommy you bought yourself?” Qin Yushu’s voice cut in again.

Oh, right~!

Fu Junyi immediately corrected herself. “Anyway, New Mommy is fine with it, and you have to be too~!”

How could Lu Ningshuang really hold a grudge against a kid?

Little Fu Junyi didn’t want to dwell on the issue either.

“Aaah~~~~” The little girl’s eyes darted around as she stiffly changed the subject. “Um, um, Auntie, who do you like in Xiao Ying? I forgot to ask earlier.”

The universal Xiao Ying.

Thanks.

She had carried so much.

The three of them had just reached a coffee shop. Qin Yushu pushed open the door. A sudden gust made the Omega’s hair tips sway lightly, revealing more of her snowy white cheek skin and the flawless line of her jaw.

Her ink-black eyes casually swept over the little dumpling—who wasn’t tall enough—and landed on Lu Ningshuang behind her.

Lu Ningshuang’s heart seemed brushed by a breeze too, rippling the lake’s center slightly. But the splendid scenery beneath those green waves went unnoticed.

After a brief thought, Qin Yushu parted her red lips lightly.

“Zhi Shi, I guess.”

Lu Ningshuang’s steps halted as she looked over.

Taking advantage that Fu Junyi couldn’t see, Qin Yushu narrowed her eyes, her eye tail lifting playfully, spilling a touch of enchanting allure.

And those watery, amorous eyes… gently, ever so gently… winked at Lu Ningshuang.