Diva Alpha Meets Her Biological Daughter on a Parenting Variety Show - Chapter 40

Inside the bus, Ning Xueqing was still saying something to Mengmeng.

Ming Nuo lowered her hand and glanced at them from a distance. The tour bus was high, and from this angle, they couldn’t see her. Ming Nuo circled around the front of the bus to the other side and walked toward the rest area.

A crew member carrying some bags walked over. “Teacher Nuo, did you forget to buy something?”

Ming Nuo gave a small smile. “I wanted some chewing gum.”

The staff member quickly opened her bag. “I bought extra! Is lemon-mint okay?”

Ming Nuo said, “Thanks, but I want a different flavor.”

“Oh, okay…” The staff member returned to the bus looking a bit dejected. It was strange; she had done her research, and Teacher Nuo usually loved lemon-mint things. There were even shots from past concerts showing her eating lemon-mint candies.

Maybe she just wanted a change of pace today.

Ming Nuo didn’t actually go into the convenience store. She wandered around the open lot for a bit, pretending she had just gotten back. If she had gone in while Ning Xueqing was talking to Mengmeng, she would have interrupted them—and more importantly, she would have made Ning Xueqing suspect she had overheard their conversation.

Ning Xueqing was naturally sensitive and very quick to notice things.

It was within Ming Nuo’s expectations that Ning Zhixuan was dissatisfied with her family. The Ning family had been in the scholarly “literati” business for generations; they had deep roots. Even if they had fallen on hard times in Ning Zhixuan’s generation and their assets were scattered, Ning Zhixuan’s connections and knowledge remained.

Asking a refined lady to accept the crudeness of a commoner was truly a tall order. Moreover, Ming Yan’s behavior at the Ning house the other day had indeed been excessive.

But Ming Nuo hadn’t expected Ning Zhixuan to bypass the two adults and teach Mengmeng directly to reduce contact with her.

It cut deep.

Ning Zhixuan was rejecting her quite decisively. Ming Nuo had been relieved that there was one less obstacle before; now, not only was the obstacle back, it was as if she had missed a “bonus point” question and got points deducted instead.

How could she fix this? Her Mammy was her biological mother; she couldn’t change that. Trying to change Ning Zhixuan’s opinion of Ming Yan felt like a fairy tale—far too difficult. And even if Ming Nuo tried, it was useless because Ming Yan herself had to change.

But then again, what was there to change about Ming Yan? Her performance at the Ning house wasn’t her normal state; she had her good sides, too.

Ming Nuo’s philosophy was for people to understand each other’s true selves and gradually synchronize, rather than only seeing one-sided flaws or forcing a relationship through compromise. She wanted this for herself, and she hoped for it for Ming Yan as well.

For now, she decided to let everyone rest for a while. Rushing to curry favor while Ning Zhixuan’s distaste was at its peak would only look worse.

“You’re back. Xiao An said you wanted chewing gum; did you get it?”

As Ming Nuo boarded the bus, Ning Xueqing looked up, her smiling eyes focused entirely on her. Xiao An was the crew member Ming Nuo had just run into.

“Mm, yes.”

“Let me see what flavor you bought?” Ning Xueqing curiously reached out her hand.

“…” She hadn’t bought any.

Ning Xueqing tilted her head. “What new flavor have you taken a liking to lately?”

“Lately? What new liking?”

“Xiao An said you didn’t want lemon-mint today.”

Ming Nuo looked back at the front row. Xiao An, wearing a bucket hat, lowered her head. Sensing the gaze, she said apologetically, “Um, Teacher Nuo, earlier Teacher Ning asked me why you weren’t back yet. I said you went to buy gum. I originally wanted to give you some of mine, but you didn’t like the flavor I offered.”

“Oh, I see.” Ming Nuo did a quick mental calculation.

Perhaps Ning Xueqing hadn’t paid much attention to her in the past, but she was always very meticulous and knew the habits of many artists. For instance, she knew Ming Nuo often drank Malva nut tea and occasionally chewed gum—either Malva nut or lemon-mint flavored. That was why Ning Xueqing asked if she liked something new.

But there was a deeper layer to this question.

Pheromones are a private matter. Most of the time they are faint, masked by perfume or shampoo; only those who are intimate truly know the scent of the other’s pheromones. Ning Xueqing’s pheromone scent was Lime-Mint. If Ming Nuo rejected a lemon-mint candy, did it mean she had taken a liking to a different scent?

Knowing Ning Xueqing’s complex way of thinking, she was probably subtly asking exactly that.

Ming Nuo sat back down in the seat in front of Ning Xueqing, spreading her hands and even turning her pockets inside out. “I didn’t buy any candy.”

She showed Ning Xueqing her left pocket. “I only bought these.”

Ning Xueqing pulled out the item with surprise. “Mint nasal inhalers.”

“Yeah. I get a bit dizzy when I’m in a car for a long time. These help a lot.”

Ning Xueqing asked with concern, “Do you get motion sickness?” She never used to.

“A little bit lately. Maybe I haven’t been sleeping enough.”

Ming Nuo had bought several tubes and asked her, “Do you want one? I have white tea and peach flavors.”

Ning Xueqing shook her head. Mengmeng was very lively, and chatting with the child kept her from getting car sick. She handed Ming Nuo a small portable blanket. “If you’re uncomfortable, take a nap. If you can’t sleep, just close your eyes. You’ve worked hard lately.”

“It’s no problem. It’s what I should do,” Ming Nuo said, taking the blanket to drape over her legs and reclining her seat to pretend to sleep.

She had actually bought the mint inhalers to wash away the scent of pheromones. Even when not in her rut, she would instinctively have a reaction when Ning Xueqing leaned in. Once the air settled, Ning Xueqing’s intensified pheromones would linger in her nose; the inhalers were very effective for that. Letting the pheromones linger too long risked triggering an induced rut, which would be inconvenient.

Though she didn’t really have motion sickness, she truly was exhausted. On one hand, she was taking care of a child and looking after Ning Xueqing; on the other, she was managing Ming Yan. If she fixed one end, the other broke. She felt like a small animal in a bellows, being pushed from both sides.

What had always sustained her was Ning Xueqing’s gentleness and Mengmeng’s reliance on her, but now… Ming Nuo feebly clenched her hand under the blanket. Now, it felt like she was about to lose her grip.

A faint floral scent drifted beside her. The seat next to Ming Nuo had been empty. Did Ning Xueqing sit down?

Ming Nuo kept her eyes closed. She vaguely felt something slip under the blanket. Then, soft, supple fingers touched her, tentatively at first, stroking the back of her hand little by little until they covered it completely. Then, fingers interlaced with hers, wrapping around her hand.

Her left shoulder felt a slight weight. Ming Nuo’s nose twitched, detecting a hint of lime hidden beneath the floral perfume.

While Mengmeng was in the back looking at a puzzle, Ning Xueqing had moved to the front. Her fingers were locked with Ming Nuo’s, and she leaned her head against Ming Nuo’s shoulder.

“What’s so bad about lemon-mint?” the Omega whispered in a tiny voice.

“Please keep liking lemon-mint, okay?” the Omega requested softly.

Ming Nuo didn’t move or speak. She wanted to see what else Ning Xueqing would say or do. After a moment of silence, Ming Nuo was so nervous she started to regret it—had she left? She shouldn’t have pretended to be asleep—

“If you don’t like the candy flavor… then smell me again.”