After Becoming a Scummy Alpha, I Refuse to Get Divorced - Chapter 28

It only took one trip to the market and a tiny display of flirting for Zhu Qingran to leave her pampered wife speechless.

Though Du Shiyu appeared calm and composed on the surface, her heart was a turbulent sea of ripples and waves. She found herself thinking that if Zhu Qingran really intended to handle the grocery shopping from now on, she wouldn’t mind giving her double the allowance. Aside from the candied hawthorns, could Zhu Qingran perhaps bring back some fried sweet potato chips too?

As the thought crossed her mind, she couldn’t help but let out a helpless, amused curl of her lips. The shopping trip had been rushed, but it hadn’t dampened the buyer’s high spirits in the least. Du Shiyu reflected that the experience had been truly delightful.

Once the little commuter car was back in its parking spot, Zhu Qingran hoisted the heavy bags and charged straight through the side door into the kitchen. Du Shiyu had intended to share the load, but seeing Zhu Qingran fly into the kitchen with the baskets as if they weighed nothing, she was genuinely dazed.

So, it turned out that a “Strong Alpha” like Little Zhu didn’t just accumulate her strength to show off in the “bed of love.” In fact, Little Zhu hadn’t even unleashed her full potential in that department yet.

Watching her haul those heavy crates without breaking a sweat or even panting, Du Shiyu felt a strange sense of relief. If Zhu Qingran ever decided to treat that matter as seriously as she treated groceries, Du Shiyu feared she wouldn’t be able to make it to work for a very long time. Her annual leave over the next few years probably wouldn’t be as long as the recovery time her lower back would need.

Du Shiyu let out a slightly guilty breath and began to seriously consider her mother’s earlier words. Maybe she should sign up for a physical conditioning class. Otherwise, who could possibly withstand this?

She quickly gathered her emotions and hurried to the kitchen to help. She reached for the vegetables to wash them, but Zhu Qingran took the whole basin. She tried to help with the prep, but Zhu Qingran was already sharpening the knives with gusto. She offered to handle the stir-fry, but Zhu Qingran rejected her, citing the heavy kitchen fumes.

“Wife, go sit over by the serving counter. Just help me taste the seasoning to see if it’s right. I’ll be done in no time!”

Zhu Qingran was dead serious about this meal. It was just ten dishes and a soup—how hard could it be? She flipped the wok, started the stock pot, and sent the kitchen knife dancing. The CEO who previously couldn’t toast bread without burning it had suddenly transformed into a culinary master.

Du Shiyu opened her mouth to speak but then fell silent, lost in thought. Where had the old, indifferent, and flippant Zhu Qingran gone? She couldn’t help but wonder just how much preparation Zhu Qingran had done for this day.

Had she spent weeks refining her cooking skills? Had she studied the art of conversation? Had she even consulted an emotional management expert to ensure she stayed calm under the Du family’s relentless pressure?

While Du Shiyu was still lost in thought, Zhu Qingran plated the first dish.

“Di San Xian (The Three Earthly Immortals).”

The Three Earthly Immortals? What a cool name. At least, in all her years, Du Shiyu never knew that potatoes, eggplants, and green peppers could be referred to as “Immortals.” If these were the Earthly Immortals, what were the Heavenly ones?

“San Xian Liu Doufu (Three-Delicacy Braised Tofu)!”

Three-Delicacy Tofu? Squid? Fish balls? Crab sticks? Du Shiyu was getting confused. She had seen these dishes before, but somehow she didn’t recognize them anymore.

“Wife, don’t just stand there, give it a taste!”

Urged by Zhu Qingran, Du Shiyu picked up a utensil and took a bite.

“The taste.” As the critique left her lips, Zhu Qingran leaned in close.

“How is it?” Zhu Qingran’s eager gaze burned into Du Shiyu’s eyes, practically dancing on the tip of her heart.

“It’s good. Very good. Mom and Dad will like it,” Du Shiyu chose a safe, neutral answer.

Zhu Qingran let out an “Oh,” but her eyes remained fixed on her with longing. Feeling a bit flustered by the stare, Du Shiyu quickly added the sisters. “My sisters will like these dishes too.”

Du Shiyu said this with absolute certainty. If her sisters dared to say Zhu Qingran’s cooking wasn’t delicious, they knew what was at stake. It would simply be a matter of Du Shiyu disowning them. Regarding that, the Du sisters knew exactly where she stood.

“But does Ah Ran’s Sister Shiyu like it?”

All Zhu Qingran really cared about was Du Shiyu’s answer. As she pouted and looked over, a vision of Zhu Qingran hauling heavy grocery crates like a sprinter flashed through Du Shiyu’s mind.

She, she did a tactical lean-back.

“I like it. I really do. Ah Ran, is there something still in the pan? I think I smell something burning.”

“Yikes! My sweet potatoes!”

The sweet potatoes were scorched. Completely charred. Zhu Qingran gave up on the batch, turned off the stove, leaned in, and gave her wife’s lips a fragrant little peck.

Just then, the rest of the Du family came charging in armed with fire extinguishers. As they burst through the door, they were met with this explosive scene.

“AAAH! The kitchen is on fire! Don’t panic, watch me, actually, I didn’t see anything!”

The young girl who had rushed in with a fire extinguisher scrambled to retreat the moment she saw the kissing. She knew her family hadn’t called her back for dinner just because they missed her—it was never that simple.

Du Ziyu had heard her two Alpha sisters crying on the phone as if the world were ending, claiming the kitchen was about to explode. She had floored the accelerator to get here, only to witness this.

We’re all Alphas; why do my two eldest sisters always manage to trick me by acting so frail? And why are all three Alphas in the Du family single from birth? Shouldn’t we take a moment to reflect on our life choices? Ziyu lamented.

Look at Zhu Qingran. They were both Alphas, but that woman had managed to charm away the Omega who looked the most “Alpha” but was actually the most pampered treasure of their family.

The gap. The sheer, glaring gap in capability!

Du Ziyu hugged her fire extinguisher like it was a beautiful girl, her foot tapping restlessly on the floor. Was she here to eat dinner? No, she was here to be force-fed “dog food” (displays of affection) so the family could save on groceries.

Her own biological sisters were heartlessly pitting her against this.

Ziyu really wanted to ask her sisters: Do you ever wonder why you’re still single? Look at Third Sister! Look at Brother-in-Law! You bunch of single dogs!

While Ziyu huffed and puffed, hugging her extinguisher tighter, Du Shiyu emerged from the kitchen. Her face was as calm as a still lake, as if the person in that heated kiss hadn’t been her at all.

“Third Sister.”

“Ziyu, it’s been a long time.”

Du Shiyu was carrying a plate to the table. When she saw her youngest sister, she offered her usual gentle smile. In just two or three years, the bossy little Ziyu had grown into a tall, elegant young lady. Although they occasionally video-chatted, seeing her in person felt different.

Du Shiyu looked at Ziyu for a moment, wanting to reach for her hand, but Ziyu’s attention had already shifted to the kitchen.

“Third Sister, go get busy. Leave the Brother-in-Law to me—I’ll help her out!”

Ziyu’s lips curled into a smirk. She strode into the kitchen with her long, punk-style-trousered legs. As she closed the door, she even gave a cheeky wave.

The door shut, and Du Shiyu felt a prickle of unease. She quickly set the plate on the dining table and hurried back to the kitchen. She wanted to bang on the door but felt like she might be overreacting. However, Ziyu had been a wild child since birth—a classic, mischievous Alpha. Zhu Qingran might not find her easy to deal with.

Du Shiyu raised her hand again. If Ziyu dared to cause trouble, she was more than ready to play the role of the “stern yet loving” big sister.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa!”

“My goodness!”

“You are freaking incredible!”

“Give it to me, give it to me!”

As a series of intense exclamations drifted from behind the door, Du Shiyu felt her head throbbing. Just what on earth are those two doing in there?

Du Shiyu composed her frazzled nerves and cleared her throat.

“Ahhh!”

Du Ziyu came charging out the door, screaming for a good long while without managing to utter a single coherent sentence. Du Shiyu’s gaze followed her sister’s hand, only to find the girl clutching a chili pepper coated in sugar syrup?

Was that a bird’s eye chili?

Wasn’t that the handful of chilies the lady at the other stall gave them for free when they were buying potatoes? At the time, Zhu Qingran had brandished them at Du Shiyu, shouting, “My spicy babe!”

And now, the chilies that were meant for the “spicy babe” Du Shiyu had somehow become Du Ziyu’s?

The “Little Darling Wife” did not understand.

The “Little Darling Wife” was deeply shaken.

The “Little Darling Wife” was.

“Wife, let’s go! Time to eat!”

After two hours of Zhu Qingran’s “operations,” the Du family banquet officially commenced. Zhu Qingran hadn’t just made ten dishes; she had also prepared the cold appetizers and the fruit platter. As for the desserts.

“Father-in-law, Mother-in-law, elder sisters, childhood-friend-sister, and little sister—this is the ‘Little Zhu Special’ family banquet. Please, enjoy!”

Clad in an apron, Zhu Qingran gestured the group to their seats with the flourish of a refined gentleman before beginning her presentation.

“First, catching your eyes are my specialties: Braised Pig Trotters, Braised Pork Ribs with Green Beans, Roast Chicken, Di San Xian (Sauteed Potato, Eggplant, and Pepper), Stir-fried Pork Slivers, Stir-fried Tofu with Seafood, Sauteed Large Intestine, Poached Pork Slices in Hot Chili Oil, and Stir-fried Greens. Finally, we have Tomato and Eggs—half savory, half sweet. Ten dishes in total. Please taste and sign for delivery.”

After her introduction, not a single person dared to pick up their chopsticks. Even Du Jingtan, the father-in-law who had seen it all, looked utterly numb.

These were dishes he had never seen nor heard of. Specifically, the pungent aroma of the Sauteed Large Intestine made one want to try it, yet simultaneously forced them to recoil.

“Little Zhu, these dishes look interesting. It’s just the smell—”

Since the parents refused to move their chopsticks, the eldest sister, Du Linshuang, felt she had no choice but to take one for the team. She stepped up, though her hands were trembling slightly.

“Adhering to the characteristics of my hometown cuisine, these are all sticky, salty, and served in massive portions!” Zhu Qingran said politely. “If you like them, we offer a doggy-bag service.”

The mother-in-law, Lin Zhi, waved her hand dismissively. “Little Zhu, why don’t you bring out the desserts and cold dishes first?”

“Cold dishes? You got it! Candied Chili Pepper and Cucumber Sticks!”

As Zhu Qingran served the dish, Du Ziyu was remarkably cooperative. “Dad, Mom, Sisters—look at this! Although the ingredients are ordinary, it can serve as both a cold appetizer and a dessert!”

Du Ziyu’s lips were bright red from the heat, yet she looked ready to praise the dish with every limb she owned.

“And the fruit platter?”

The family’s final shred of hope rested on the fruit. Then, they saw a plate of tomatoes sprinkled with white sugar.

“Fruit platter! If it’s not sweet enough, come find me. Adding sugar is our specialty!”

Zhu Qingran clutched a bag of white sugar, earnestly pounding her chest. Given the grocery budget her in-laws had provided, buying even a few pieces of fruit would have left her broke. At a time like this, you have to count on Little Zhu to save money!