Chapter 53: A Drop of Water (part 1)

The consequence of talking dirty? Fu Yumian—soft and limp to the point she could barely lift her hands—ended up pinned back onto the bed by Lu Qingzhuo.

In the end, the two of them messed around for almost another hour. 

Afterward, Lu Qingzhuo carried Fu Yumian—who had just taken a shower—back into the bathroom for another rinse.

When they finally came out, all the bedsheets and duvet covers in the bedroom had been replaced with fresh ones. The staff’s efficiency was so ridiculously high that even Lu Qingzhuo felt a bit embarrassed.

Fu Yumian, however, didn’t seem to mind at all—probably because she’d grown up used to this kind of lifestyle. She found a warm, cozy spot in the crook of Lu Qingzhuo’s shoulder and fell asleep, eyes closed.

Lu Qingzhuo was a young, energetic Alpha in her early twenties. She wasn’t particularly sleepy at the moment. In fact, her restless heart was still pounding wildly, only gradually beginning to calm.

Lowering her gaze, Lu Qingzhuo couldn’t quite figure out how she and Fu Yumian had ended up like this.

A marriage contract was one thing—but setting aside the formalities, what kind of “casual partner” showed this much possessiveness? Wasn’t their relationship getting a little out of bounds?

Throughout the whole affair, Fu Yumian had clearly been in control. Lu Qingzhuo had no choice but to admit she’d completely fallen for it.

Thinking of it that way, the two of them ending up together felt like the perfect lid for the perfect pot—surprisingly well-matched.

With that thought, the guilt that had been weighing on Lu Qingzhuo’s chest suddenly lightened. She glanced at her phone. The clock showed it was almost midnight by the time everything finally ended.

She set the phone aside, rested her chin gently on Fu Yumian’s head, and wrapped an arm around the Omega’s waist, holding her protectively.

---

The next morning, Lu Qingzhuo woke up unusually late—past ten o’clock. Instinctively, she reached out to pull Fu Yumian close, but her hand met only empty air.

When had Fu Yumian left? And without saying a word?

The sound of scratching came from the door outside. Lu Qingzhuo instantly knew it was the two “little ancestors” of the house trying to wake her up. She rubbed her eyes and lowered her arm, only to touch something cold and smooth on the pillow.

It was an exquisite, elegant long box, topped with a pink ribbon tied into a bow. It looked like a sincere gift. She couldn’t help wondering what was inside.

Honestly, this kind of post-hookup gift left on the pillow felt... off. No matter how she looked at it, it screamed “payment for services.” Especially since she’d woken up alone, with the giver nowhere in sight.

She picked up the box with both hands, untied the pink bow, and lifted the lid. Inside was a wristwatch.

A watch?

Lu Qingzhuo wasn’t someone who liked wearing jewelry. She’d never even bought a watch for herself. The fact that Fu Yumian had left right after gifting this made it obvious—it wasn’t exactly tailored to her taste.

But the watch was undeniably beautiful—well-crafted, with a clear, refined tone. It looked expensive at a glance.

After snapping a few photos and running an image search online, Lu Qingzhuo quietly set her phone down on the bed. Then, holding the watch with both hands, she could feel her heart pounding wildly.

This thing cost as much as two apartments inside the Second Ring Road of B City.

“…”

How did Fu Yumian know she liked this specific watch?

Afraid she’d dirty it with fingerprints, Lu Qingzhuo rushed to the bathroom to wash her hands and arms thoroughly. Even after drying off, she still didn’t feel quite right. She brushed her teeth, did a quick skincare routine, and gave herself a loose, lazy hairstyle.

Then she went to the dressing room to find something to wear.

Fu Yumian’s wardrobe was filled with her own clothes. Lu Qingzhuo searched for a long time before finally finding a fitted green dress.

Wasn’t this the same dress she wore when they attended that auction together?

Could it be hers?

Lu Qingzhuo slipped it on and paired it with silver stilettos encrusted with tiny gems. Standing in front of the full-length mirror, she took a few steps to admire her bare-faced reflection.

Still a knockout.

After finishing her prep, Lu Qingzhuo decided to play pretend. She imagined herself as a socialite at a formal gala, holding the hem of her dress with one hand and pretending someone was escorting her with the other.

With elegant steps, she walked toward the bed, curled her lips into a flawless smile, and “held” the hand of her imaginary date—down to the perfect tilt of her lips.

Snap snap snap.

She found the best angle and took a bunch of photos. The more she looked, the prettier she felt. She even swore she’d be buried with this watch when she died.

---

Los Angeles.

Fu Yumian was in a meeting, but her laptop screen was playing a video feed from the villa’s bedroom—showing Lu Qingzhuo fully immersed in her little performance.

Watching her laugh and have so much fun, Fu Yumian couldn’t help but smile too. Her lips curved upward involuntarily, and a soft chuckle slipped out.

Everyone in the meeting froze. They all turned their heads toward their usually composed Chairwoman, eyes slowly widening.

Fu Yumian pressed her lips together and rested her chin on one hand, lightly tapping her pen against the table. 

“Carry on.”

Who would’ve thought—just one watch could make her this happy?

Her lips curved up again, and she couldn’t stop smiling as she continued browsing for more gift ideas online.

Lu Qingzhuo wore a wristwatch and raised her arm to admire the stunning watch face. After wearing it for a moment, she took it off again.

She was heading to Bai Ya’s house today and planned to bring a few more small gifts for the child while she was at it.

Bundled up in her winter coat and fully geared for the cold, she opened the door to find Han Tian sitting in the living room downstairs.

Since Han Tian was there, that probably meant Fu Yumian was still upstairs.

Lu Qingzhuo walked down the stairs. Han Tian had already closed her laptop and stood up from the sofa. 

“President Fu told me to stick with you for the next few days.”

To Han Tian, following Lu Qingzhuo around was actually more challenging than working with Fu Yumian. She hadn’t spent much time with Lu Qingzhuo and didn’t know her well. If she slipped up in any way and Lu Qingzhuo whispered something to Fu Yumian, that could be the end of her job.

But the moment Han Tian finished speaking, she clearly saw Lu Qingzhuo’s expression relax — and for a working stiff like her, it almost brought tears to her eyes.

So Lu Qingzhuo wanted to stay away from the boss too… just like her.

But considering how well the boss treated her — giving her whatever she wanted — could their relationship really be just that?

If it was, then wasn’t the boss seriously losing out?

Still, she was just an employee. Whether the boss was losing out or not had nothing to do with her. Better to focus on her own role first.

Lu Qingzhuo nodded and said, “So you mean… Fu Yumian left again and told you to stick with me?”

Han Tian replied, “That’s right. For the next three days, your daily life and outings are my responsibility.”

Lu Qingzhuo: “…”

Being an assistant really wasn’t easy. Lu Qingzhuo decided she’d give Xie Yun a raise soon and train her to become her one and only top-tier assistant.

“Han Tian, can I ask — you work so hard every day, rain or shine… has Fu Yumian given you a raise?”

Lu Qingzhuo couldn’t hold back her curiosity. Since Fu Yumian wasn’t around, it should be fine to ask casually.

“…”

Han Tian instinctively glanced around. The cameras she’d installed could clearly pick up sound, and she really didn’t want the boss overhearing this.

“President Fu has always treated me well.”

What kind of answer was that? But after thinking it over, Lu Qingzhuo figured this kind of vague response was fair enough. They were both working folks — no need to make things difficult for each other.

Once they got in the car, Lu Qingzhuo sat in the front passenger seat while Han Tian drove. She pressed her lips together slightly, as if she had something to say.

Lu Qingzhuo noticed her hesitation and smiled. “What’s up, Han Tian? Just say it. Fu Yumian isn’t here. It’s just the two of us — no need to be formal.”

Han Tian: “…”

Why did that sound like Lu Qingzhuo was up to something? Like she was trying to cozy up?

Still, she wanted to give Lu Qingzhuo a heads-up: Don’t badmouth Fu Yumian behind her back while in the room — she’d definitely find out.

The snow had stopped, and the roads were all cleared. Han Tian drove the SUV to the village and parked outside the home of the host family where Lu Qingzhuo was staying for the show.

Bai Le was outside building a snowman. As Lu Qingzhuo got out of the car, she nearly slipped, but Han Tian reacted quickly and caught her just in time, saving her from falling flat on her back.

“Are you okay, Sister Lu?!”

Bai Le didn’t see the “Sister Fu” from yesterday, but instead saw a stranger with Lu Qingzhuo today. Naturally, she came over, curious.

A little girl like Bai Le — big eyes, fair skin, rosy lips, and white teeth — was the kind no one could resist.

Lu Qingzhuo turned her head slightly and saw Han Tian trying hard to suppress a grin, clearly smitten with Bai Le.

Bai Le tilted her head like a little deer in the woods and asked curiously, “Sister Lu, did you bring home another sister today?”

Another sister? Lu Qingzhuo chuckled and patted Bai Le’s head. “That’s right. This is your Sister Han — she’s a good friend of mine.”

Good friend?

Han Tian was stunned for a moment. "Please don’t get me involved like this," she thought. "If the boss gets jealous and sends me somewhere else, what do I do then?"

Hearing voices outside, Lin Zhiyu and the others came out, assuming it was Lu Qingzhuo and Fu Yumian returning.

But when they stepped out, they saw a woman they didn’t recognize standing beside Lu Qingzhuo — it wasn’t clear whether she was an alpha or omega — wearing silver-rimmed glasses and looking every bit the professional.

Ye Ran, standing behind Lin Zhiyu, followed when the group approached, her gaze landing on Han Tian.

“Han Tian, these are my friends.”

Han Tian nodded politely at the others — all faces she recognized from television. Then she heard Lu Qingzhuo introducing her.

“This is Han Tian, Fu Yumian’s executive assistant.”

After the introductions, Lu Qingzhuo followed the group back into Bai Ya’s home.

Each of the four guests took turns visiting different local families, and today, they had all come to Bai Ya’s house. Lu Qingzhuo figured she was in for another delicious meal.

Han Tian came in too, looking a little out of place at first — not quite used to the atmosphere. She stood to one side, slightly awkward, until she took off her glasses — and only then did Lu Qingzhuo realize it had all been an illusion.

Of course. Like boss, like employee. Han Tian had been using the glasses to fake professionalism. Now that Fu Yumian wasn’t around, she had nothing to hide.

Spend enough time around a wolf in sheep’s clothing, and eventually, you start picking up their ways. Sometimes, Lu Qingzhuo even found Han Tian’s gestures and expressions eerily similar to Fu Yumian’s. If it weren’t for their different faces, she might have mistaken them for the same person.

Everyone except Lu Qingzhuo had never eaten at Bai Ya’s place before. The moment she heard that, her eyes lit up — she couldn’t wait to start praising Bai Ya’s amazing cooking like she was rattling off a menu.

Han Tian didn’t forget the task Fu Yumian had given her before leaving: keep a close eye on Lu Qingzhuo. Don’t let her get entangled with any other omegas—especially that one named Ye Ran.

Han Tian wasn’t into celebrity culture, so she’d done some homework beforehand on the guests. She found that this omega named Ye Ran was indeed very accomplished in the entertainment industry.

Thinking of this, Han Tian instinctively glanced over at Ye Ran—only to notice that her gaze kept drifting toward Lu Qingzhuo. Her gentle eyes seemed full of affection.

At last, Han Tian understood why her boss had singled Ye Ran out as someone to watch closely. So this was the top rival in love!

Lu Qingzhuo suggested, “Since that’s the case, let’s head out in a bit and buy some groceries.”

As it happened, Bai Ya’s family had a tricycle, and driving one was Lu Qingzhuo’s specialty.

Ye Ran wanted to tag along too, but before she could speak up, Han Tian interjected, “I’ll go with you. President Fu told me not to leave your side.”

Lu Qingzhuo: “…”

This isn’t some idol drama—did she really have to say it out loud like that, Assistant Han?

“Alright then. Since you’re coming, how about we borrow your SUV?” Lu Qingzhuo winked at her with a smile. “You can be our chauffeur. How about that?”

Han Tian: “…”

At that moment, Han Tian really wanted to drop to her knees and kowtow to Lu Qingzhuo. How did she manage to flirt so effortlessly—and even wink while doing it? If Fu Yumian saw this scene, Han Tian figured she’d be exiled to plant bananas.

Dinner had to be lavish. Han Tian’s daily life revolved around either driving or being on the road to drive someone somewhere. But thinking about her ever-growing salary, she felt it was worth it.

Lu Qingzhuo sat in the front passenger seat and noticed Han Tian had a new watch on her left wrist. Curious, she asked, “Han Tian, is that a new watch?”

Still driving, Han Tian glanced at her wrist and said flatly, “Mm-hmm. A little gift from President Fu.”

A little gift?

Could it be that Fu Yumian had a thing for gifting watches?

Lu Qingzhuo recalled the watch tucked away in her villa—the one worth the price of two houses—and suddenly felt it should be enshrined on an altar. Even if she sold all her organs, she still wouldn’t come close to affording it.

The moment passed quickly. The group split up to buy groceries, and Lu Qingzhuo naturally paired off with Lin Zhiyu.

Watching the two of them walk off together, Han Tian opened her laptop in the SUV and pulled up her notes.

Fu Yumian had only warned her about omegas—not alphas. Besides, these two were childhood friends. Probably not each other’s type. Should be fine… right?

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