Diva Alpha Meets Her Biological Daughter on a Parenting Variety Show - Chapter 4

Why had Ning Xueqing chased after her?

Ming Nuo quickly braked the bicycle, turned around, and took a few steps back toward her. Ning Xueqing stopped, breathing softly, her face slightly flushed under the moonlight as she looked up with a playful tilt to her lips.

Seeing her delicate expression, Ming Nuo’s heart softened. She couldn’t help but smile back, her voice tender: “Does Sister have further instructions for me?”

Ning Xueqing stood with both hands behind her back, her voluminous wavy hair draped over her shoulders like seafoam. She tilted her head slightly, her eyes brimming with light. “No instructions. I just wanted to give you something.”

Ming Nuo noticed she was hiding something. As Ning Xueqing’s fair arms moved from behind her waist, the night breeze gently brushed against her hemline and her waist-length hair.

“For me?” Ming Nuo asked. “What is it?”

Ning Xueqing gave a mischievous smile, swayed her body slightly, and raised her brows. “Open your little hands.”

Little hands?

Ming Nuo let out a soft laugh. Ning Xueqing was coaxing her like a child.

“Okay.” Ming Nuo cooperated, spreading her palms.

Ning Xueqing slowly brought her hand out from behind her back and pressed a sealed glass jar into Ming Nuo’s grip.

It was a crystal-clear, thin-walled straight jar decorated with English newspaper-style prints. Inside was milk dyed a soft blue with butterfly pea flowers. At the bottom sat a layer of honey green grape jam, mimicking a blue sky over a green meadow. Floating at the very top were two pure white marshmallows acting as clouds.

A fairy-tale honey milk jar.

Forget a three-year-old; even Ming Nuo, who was pushing thirty, couldn’t resist wanting to drink it.

Ming Nuo held the jar preciously, examining it closely. “It’s so beautiful.”

The honey milk she had received in the past always had different creative touches. Ning Xueqing loved exquisite things; not just in her fashion, but in every aspect of life, she put in immense effort.

Ning Xueqing then brought out her left hand, offering Ming Nuo an elastic carrying pouch. “You can drink it now, or if you can’t finish it on the road, use this to carry it. I noticed the bike doesn’t have a basket; the pouch can hang from the handlebars. It’s elastic, so it won’t wobble too much.”

Ming Nuo took it carefully. “Thank you. The jar…”

“It’s disposable,” Ning Xueqing said. “You can throw it away when you’re done.”

Ming Nuo’s little plan to find an excuse to see her again to “return the jar” was instantly dashed.

Ming Nuo nodded. “Okay. But such a beautiful jar… I’d be reluctant to throw it away. It would look great for growing flowers.”

When the flowers bloom, she would take a photo and post it to a WeChat Moments group visible only to Ning Xueqing.

In truth, after ten years, Ming Nuo no longer obsessed over whether Ning Xueqing actually saw her updates. She was simply used to collecting everything related to Ning Xueqing and setting it to “Visible only to her”—like letting moss growing in a dark corner have a bit of sun.

In some people’s worlds, certain individuals are just that radiant and bright.

“You grow flowers too?” Ning Xueqing asked.

She hadn’t before, but she planned to now. That counted, right?

“Occasionally,” Ming Nuo replied.

Ning Xueqing watched her with a beaming smile for a moment, then pointed to the area behind her ear. “Alright, go back and rest. Remember to take your medicine.”

Ming Nuo carefully tucked the milk jar into the pouch and hung it on the handlebar. “Mm-hmm. I’m heading off then?”

Ning Xueqing waved with a smile.

“Goodbye, Sister Xueqing.”

Ming Nuo pedaled away along the path dyed orange by the streetlamps, leaving behind a small trail of wind that carried the faint, lingering scent of peach.

Ning Xueqing stood in place, watching Ming Nuo grow distant until her silhouette vanished into the night. Only then did she slowly turn and walk back to the garden.

Entering the house, she saw the thin blanket Ming Nuo had given her by the river draped over the rocking chair. She picked it up, placed it in a garment bag, and attached a dry-cleaning service tag.

An elderly lady with silver hair sat on the soft sofa next to the rocking chair. Though her skin bore the marks of time, her elegant posture proved she must have been a beauty in her youth.

“Went to her concert again?”

The elderly lady was sorting through a child’s clothes—all beautiful little dresses, including ethereal tulle skirts and short skirts printed with little animals.

Ning Xueqing put the garment bag in the entryway drawer and turned back with a smile. “Mom, who are you talking about?”

Ning Zhixuan was slender and wore a cream-colored cotton-linen dress. She hung the little dresses one by one on a solid wood rack. Ning Xueqing was very private and usually only hired hourly workers; Ning Zhixuan handled many of the household chores. Whenever the laundry service returned clothes, she would carefully inspect and put away every piece.

“Who else? Ming Nuo. Which of her concerts have you missed over the years?” Ning Zhixuan looked up at her daughter.

Ning Xueqing gathered her long hair into a loop, her expression quite serious. “I missed one in the autumn three years ago, and one during the Spring Festival last year.”

“…” Ning Zhixuan paused. She had just been speaking casually, but her daughter had actually kept count.

And very precisely, at that.

“Mom, is Mengmeng asleep?” Ning Xueqing didn’t think her behavior was odd. Noticing the puzzle mat that had been covered in toys was now tidy, she asked her mother.

Ning Zhixuan adjusted her reading glasses and pushed the garment rack into the first-floor walk-in closet. “She’s already asleep.”

Ning Xueqing nodded and poured a cup of herbal tea from the pot on the coffee table.

Ning Zhixuan walked through the kitchen and leaned out. “Did you take out the honey milk I left for you?”

Ning Xueqing gave a vague “mm” while holding her cup. “She sent me back late at night; I had to thank her somehow.”

Ning Zhixuan lowered her eyes, watching her daughter for a moment. “Did you stay out at the resort area for a walk after the concert because you knew she was staying at the hotel next door?”

Ning Xueqing said nothing.

Ning Zhixuan caught the faint scent of wine on her. She opened the fridge and mixed a glass of milk and honey for her. “I don’t know much about Ming Nuo. On TV, she looks pretty and sings well.”

“Mm? Oh…” Ning Xueqing took a sip of the honey milk, leaning against the kitchen island.

“I see all those messy news stories in the entertainment industry,” Ning Zhixuan continued. “There are so many, but there are very few about her.”

“Oh, tonight I saw a livestream of her signing an autograph for a terminally ill patient. She even said she’d visit the fan after returning home. If it’s not for show, it means her character is quite good.”

Ning Xueqing finished her milk, rinsed the glass under the tap, and placed it in the dertilizer cabinet.

“She is. She’s always been like that.”

She was talking about Ming Nuo. On the surface, Ming Nuo seemed stoic and unapproachable compared to more socially adept celebrities. She didn’t seem to fit in. But in reality, if someone truly encountered trouble, Ming Nuo—the person who seemed the hardest to get along with—was the one most likely to offer sincere help.

“Like what? How would you know?”

Faced with her mother’s question, Ning Xueqing smiled and hugged her shoulders playfully. “I don’t know, hehe.”

“You child, honestly.” Ning Zhixuan hugged her daughter, gently stroking her hair. “Qingqing.”

“Mm?”

“She is an outstanding Alpha. Though she comes from a humble background, the fact that she rose from the bottom to become a top star says a lot about her ability. Now she has fame and financial stability; she isn’t lacking for good girls. Regardless of her, you are unmarried with a child. Many things are… complicated.”

Ning Zhixuan spoke earnestly. She was someone who enjoyed company; staying home alone with the child meant she tended to talk quite a bit once she started.

Seeing that her mother was about to start a heart-to-heart talk that could last until 2 AM, Ning Xueqing quickly cut her off. “Mom, don’t worry so much. Other people have their lives, and I have mine. Can’t your daughter just be a fan of a singer? It’s just a few concerts.”

She knew her mother wanted her to focus solely on taking care of the child.

Ning Zhixuan stared at her meaningfully for a while. “Fine, you’ve always had your own ideas since you were little.”

“Qingqing, the paparazzi leaked the news about you having a child today. The reaction online was huge. As Mengmeng grows up, it will eventually affect her. I know you have your reasons… but it’s been five years since you got pregnant. Are you still unwilling to tell even me who Mengmeng’s ‘other mommy’ is?”

Ning Xueqing stood by the fridge, her head slightly lowered. The light from the chandelier draped over her like a thin veil. She pondered for a moment, a faint glimmer appearing in her eyes.

“Mom, just treat Mengmeng as a little treasure sent to me by heaven. Just like when you had me.”

Ning Zhixuan fell silent. She had also been unmarried and pregnant with Ning Xueqing. However, she had been deceived by an Alpha, thinking she was sacrificing everything for love, only to end up with nothing. She hated that woman, but she loved her daughter.

When Ning Xueqing was little and asked, “Mom, where is my other mommy?”, Ning Zhixuan would point to the angel illustrations in fairy tale books and say: “You are a little treasure sent to Mommy from heaven.”

“Mom loves you and Mengmeng,” Ning Zhixuan said, hugging her daughter tightly. “Rest assured, Mom will always be your support.”

“Thank you, Mom. Mengmeng and I love you too.” Ning Xueqing hugged her back, her face radiant with a smile.

Late at night.

Ning Xueqing checked on the sleeping child before returning to her room to bathe. She changed into a nightgown and saw the scent-blocking patch on her neck. Thinking of something, she gave a soft smile to the mirror and slowly peeled it off.

Lying in bed, she picked up her phone. Her inbox contained anonymous threatening messages: “If the money isn’t in the account within a week, I’ll expose everything about your pregnancy!”

She had already screenshotted them as evidence. Below that was an apology from a fired tutor who had taken photos of Ning Xueqing and the child and shared them privately; the tutor was begging for a letter of forgiveness.

Ning Xueqing screenshotted those as well and ignored them.

So tired.

She closed her eyes, her head feeling heavy. After a moment of dozing, she opened her eyes and went to Weibo. She clicked on the first item in her search history: #MingNuo#. It was filled with headlines from the Australian concert.

#MingNuo_Comforts_Terminally_Ill_Fan#

#MingNuo_Temporary_Signing_For_One_Hour#

#MingNuo_Wild_Rose_Concert_Live#

Ning Xueqing clicked on a random video of Ming Nuo’s performance. Her eyes curved. “And they call this ‘Hardcore Fan Filming’? My shots look better than this.”

A notification popped up at the top of the screen. She entered WeChat.

Ming Nuo: I’ve arrived.

Ming Nuo: Thank you for the honey milk, Sister. It was delicious.

Ming Nuo: [Star] [Moon]

Ning Xueqing looked at the time in the corner of her phone. She waited ten minutes before replying.

Ning Xueqing: You’re welcome.

Ning Xueqing: [Star] [Moon]

There was a red dot on her Moments feed. Ming Nuo had updated her status.

Ming Nuo: 【The sweet jar awaits the blooming of happy flowers.】

Attached was a photo of an orchid bud planted inside the glass jar.

Ning Xueqing zoomed in on the photo. In the reflection of the background mirror, she could see Ming Nuo wearing only a black sleeveless top. In the mirror, the Alpha’s long hair was damp and loose; the lines of her shoulders and arms were smooth and elegant. The hand holding the phone happened to block half of her brilliant face.

Suddenly, the back of Ning Xueqing’s neck felt hot. The sensation of the duvet against her skin felt magnified several times. She put down the phone, her ears burning as she buried her face in the pillow.

She dreamed again of that misty bamboo town in the drizzling rain. Strands of damp hair clung to burning skin as she was held in a gentle embrace.

Tossing and turning, the moon outside the paper window swayed. In her ear, a passionate voice, drowning and shy, whispered: “Sister, it’s so hot…”