Dressed as the Scumbag Alpha Mom of the Tragic Female Lead (ABO, GL) - Chapter 41

Chapter 41

The office of the dean of the Life Sciences Academy was in complete disarray. After Dean Xu Wen vented hysterically, he sat in his office chair, panting heavily.

Before the vote count results came out, he hadn’t taken these students’ antics seriously at all. In his view, an Omega wanting to be student council president was simply a pipe dream, utterly ridiculous.

The reason he had previously let Zhao Zi run wild was partly because Zhao Gang’s incident happened too suddenly, and he had to ensure the stability of the student council first. On the other hand, his father-in-law was keeping an eye on the situation, so he couldn’t openly suppress Zhao Zi.

“Heh, these little brats are really fearless calves, thinking they can go against me and come out unscathed?” Xu Wen stared darkly at a photo on his desk. “Even if Zhao Gang is useless, you, Zhao Zi, an Omega, can forget about rising in the Zhao family.”

That said, Xu Wen also knew these young upstarts weren’t so easy to deal with. Zhao Zi aside, Gu Lingjun came from a true elite family, one even his father-in-law’s family didn’t dare provoke. That’s why he hadn’t chosen to confront them head-on when the incident occurred, planning instead to bide his time and deal with it later.

Zhuang Qi was the second daughter of the Zhuang family. The Zhuang family not only had deep roots but also ran Kuai Xun, a leading company in the emerging domestic computer industry. Although the Zhuang brothers had some unpleasant disputes over power, they were always united against outsiders. Deliberately provoking Zhuang Qi wasn’t a wise choice either.

The reason fearless calves didn’t fear tigers was because they were fierce calves, not rabbits.

“Jiang Chuxie…”

After learning that Jiang Chuxie was a student at B University, Xu Wen had done some investigation. He found that although she was very capable, her background was poor. Her family, far from supporting her, would be lucky not to drag her down.

The others at least came from phoenix nests, but this little sparrow, mixing in with them and daring to defy him, was simply clueless about the ways of the world.

He, Xu Wen, was the dean of an academy. If he couldn’t handle the others, could he not handle Jiang Chuxie?

This person who had ruined his plans several times—it was time to teach her a lesson, to let her naive friends understand what it meant to kill the chicken to scare the monkey.

“Ahem, to celebrate Zhao Zi becoming president, to our first pot of gold with Chuxie, and also…” Zhuang Qi held a glass of juice, glanced at Zhao Zi with a flushed face, and continued, “to celebrate Zhao Zi and me officially being together, cheers!”

“Cheers.”

Gu Lingjun and Jiang Chuxie clinked glasses with her. Though Zhao Zi’s expression showed disdain, she still took a sip of juice.

“Celebrating the election win is fine, but ‘officially being together’? That’s too tacky.”

“You already held a victory party with your student council friends. If this was just another victory party, it’d be too boring,” Zhuang Qi said with her own logic. “Besides, us being together is a huge deal, so of course we should celebrate properly.”

Gu Lingjun smiled with pursed lips. “Senior Zhuang makes a good point. This is something worth celebrating.”

Zhuang Qi looked smugly at Zhao Zi, as if saying, “See?”

Zhao Zi couldn’t be bothered with her. “I only said I’d try dating you. You’re still on probation, so don’t get too cocky.”

Zhuang Qi’s face fell. “What’s wrong with me? I’m a quality Alpha, a great investment!”

Zhao Zi poked her arm. “It’s that confidence of yours. Look at Jiang Chuxie.”

Zhuang Qi glanced at Jiang Chuxie and said helplessly, “I can’t compare with her. She doesn’t even seem like an Alpha.”

Jiang Chuxie, staying out of the conversation, quietly sipped her drink, her gaze occasionally falling on Gu Lingjun beside her.

That day they met, the first thing they talked about was related to Zhao Zi. Then, naturally, some of the previous awkwardness and distance melted away.

While Zhao Zi and Zhuang Qi were pouring their hearts out to each other in the meeting room, the two stood outside, talking calmly in the most ordinary tone and manner, sharing their joy.

For a moment, Jiang Chuxie felt that no matter what kind of feelings she had for Gu Lingjun, it didn’t stop her from experiencing the peace and calm of their time together.

“By the way, has Dean Xu been giving you a hard time?” Zhuang Qi interrupted Jiang Chuxie’s thoughts. “And that guy who competed with you for president—what’s his attitude now?”

“He probably couldn’t handle the embarrassment and quit the student council. As for Dean Xu…” Zhao Zi furrowed her brows, hesitating for a moment before seeming to make up her mind. She said to the three of them, “He might trip me up behind the scenes, but he won’t do anything to me openly.”

“How do you know he won’t? He’s already so shameless!” Zhuang Qi exclaimed.

“He’s shameless, sure, but think about it. As the dean of the Life Sciences Academy, why didn’t he just appoint someone as student council president? Why did we end up with a relatively fair voting election?”

Zhuang Qi asked cluelessly, “Why?”

Jiang Chuxie sensed something, while Gu Lingjun just focused on eating.

Zhao Zi sighed. “Xu Wen… Dean Xu is my second uncle’s husband.”

“What?” Zhuang Qi was completely shocked. “Then why is he always targeting you?”

“The reasons are complicated, but the main one is… my dad, my eldest uncle, and my second uncle don’t have the same mother.”

It sounded like a messy family drama. Jiang Chuxie recalled something and blurted out, “Is Zhao Gang… related to you?”

“He’s… kind of my cousin. His grandfather was my grandfather’s younger brother. Since my eldest uncle and second uncle are both Betas and don’t have Alpha heirs, he was adopted into the family.”

It sounded incredibly complicated. Jiang Chuxie felt a bit dizzy, as if this family structure seemed familiar somehow.

“So that’s how it is. My eldest cousin was adopted like that too,” Zhuang Qi said, looking like she completely understood.

Zhao Zi nodded. “Because of this connection, even though Xu Wen dislikes me and keeps tripping me up behind my back, he won’t do anything too blatant. After all, my grandfather is still around, and Xu Wen wouldn’t be dean without his help.”

“Still, you can’t let your guard down. That Dean Xu seems stupid, evil, and hypocritical. He’s probably furious this time and might sabotage you secretly,” Zhuang Qi warned.

“I’ll be careful,” Zhao Zi replied.

Zhuang Qi eagerly offered, “Zhao Zi, don’t worry. I’ll protect you.”

This time, Zhao Zi didn’t brush her off. Instead, she gave a satisfied smile, gently patted Zhuang Qi’s hand, and said softly, “Then I’ll count on you. Be a good protector, okay~”

Zhuang Qi looked completely smitten, nodding repeatedly. “Don’t worry, don’t worry!”

Ah, this must be what they call a scheming type, Jiang Chuxie thought, silently judging Zhao Zi’s smile. Zhuang Qi was definitely going to be wrapped around her finger… Gu Lingjun, on the other hand, was gentle and innocent, making her feel at ease.

“Lingjun, I’m sorry for keeping this from you,” Zhao Zi said, after sweet-talking Zhuang Qi, turning to apologize to Gu Lingjun. “I’m really sorry about Zhao Gang’s matter. It was too complicated, so I didn’t know how to explain it to you.”

Gu Lingjun smiled reassuringly. “Senior, don’t say that. It had nothing to do with you. Zhao Gang has already faced his consequences, and it’s all in the past.”

Zhao Zi gave a relieved smile. “Thank you for understanding.”

The senior-junior duo had a warm atmosphere, their bond growing stronger through this experience. But Jiang Chuxie felt a slight unease because of Zhao Zi’s earlier words.

“Zhao Zi, can I ask about your family situation?” Jiang Chuxie said.

Zhao was a very common surname in this world. Jiang Chuxie had met dozens, if not a hundred, people with that surname over the years.

“Hm? What’s your question?”

“Is your family the one that founded ‘Legendary Delicacy’?”

Legendary Delicacy was an old, renowned restaurant, said to have nearly two hundred years of history. The recipes used for state banquets were created by the Zhao family patriarch. On the surface, the Zhao family wasn’t particularly prominent, with only a few hotels run by direct descendants. But the Zhao patriarch had wide connections and was close with many high-ranking officials.

From what Jiang Chuxie knew, the Zhao family would soon produce a wildly successful, domineering Alpha CEO who would turn Legendary Delicacy into a global chain of restaurants, building a massive culinary empire.

Please, don’t let it be that Zhao family. Please, don’t!

“How did you know?” Zhao Zi looked at Jiang Chuxie in surprise. “Our family isn’t exactly a famous clan. We keep a pretty low profile.”

Jiang Chuxie’s hand slipped, and her cup hit the table, spilling her drink all over her leg.

Great. First, Liang Que’s second uncle showed up, and now Zhao Zi, the cousin of that Zhao family, was Zhuang Qi’s girlfriend. This was just… too much!

“Senior, are you okay?” Gu Lingjun quickly pulled out a handkerchief to help wipe the stain on her pants.

Jiang Chuxie, too distracted to stop her, anxiously pressed on, “Does your eldest uncle have a grandson who’s in elementary school now?”

“You mean Xiao Xian? He’s ten and at the age for elementary school, but he’s really smart and already in middle school.”

Ten years old? Jiang Chuxie recalled that Zhao Xian was ten years older than Jiang Weizao. But Jiang Weizao hadn’t even been born yet, so how was he already… Wait, no. That’s because Jiang Weizao was supposed to be born in early 2000, and it was already December 1999!

The Zhao family had fought over inheritance rights for three generations. The eldest uncle even adopted an Alpha to increase his leverage. But he never expected his own grandson to be a ruthless figure who, at a young age, took down his adopted son and all the other uncles, aunts, and cousins—biological or not.

The Zhao patriarch, thrilled, passed the family business directly to his great-grandson. From there, Zhao Xian began his meteoric rise, and the Zhao family soared to new heights.

Among the six Alphas, Zhao Xian didn’t have the most screen time, but Jiang Chuxie remembered him vividly. He was the oldest and the most ruthless. Compared to the other Alphas, who were already born into prominent families, he built his empire through his own abilities.

Thinking of the fate of the scumbag Alpha’s mother in the original story, Jiang Chuxie couldn’t help but shudder. Jiang Weizao wasn’t even born yet, but two of the six Alphas had already appeared in her life in subtle, pervasive ways.

She was starting to feel overwhelmed.

Gu Lingjun did her best to clean the stain on Jiang Chuxie’s pants, but noticed she seemed completely out of it, lost in thought.

“Jiang Chuxie, how do you know all this?” Zhao Zi asked, puzzled.

Zhuang Qi, recalling a previous incident, added, “Yeah, last time you suddenly asked about Liang Que too. Chuxie, are you okay? Is there something about them we should be concerned about?”

“N-No, I’m fine. I’m just going to the bathroom.”

Liang Que wasn’t closely connected to her, so her feelings about him weren’t as strong. But Zhao Zi—she shared a bond forged through trials, not to mention she was now Zhuang Qi’s girlfriend.

Zhao Zi’s nephew was one of the main male Alphas in the original story, the one who hurt her daughter (who didn’t even exist yet) and eventually killed her. This realization hit Jiang Chuxie hard.

These weren’t just coincidences. Or rather, such coincidences had to be orchestrated.

Standing at the sink, Jiang Chuxie cleaned her pant leg while her thoughts ran wild.

Even Zhao Zi was tied to a key character in the main story. What about Zhuang Qi?

None of the six Alphas had the surname Zhuang, and the original story didn’t mention anyone with that surname either. Otherwise, a distinctive surname like Zhuang would’ve left some impression.

Wait, that’s what’s strange!

The Zhuang family was a major player in their industry, and given their current trajectory, they could become a massive force in the future. It was odd enough that the author didn’t assign them an heir to compete for the heroine, but how could they not even be a boss or villain?

Hold on. In the original story, there was an Alpha whose family was in this industry—a genius hacker, no less.

Jiang Chuxie suddenly looked up. That guy’s family was said to have monopolized the market after crushing their competitors. Could the Zhuang family be those competitors?

The company Kuai Xun wasn’t mentioned in the original story at all.

“Senior, are you okay?”

Jiang Chuxie hadn’t returned for a while, and thinking about her unusual behavior when she left, Gu Lingjun couldn’t hold back and came to check on her.

She didn’t expect to find Jiang Chuxie standing in a daze in front of the public restroom sink, her expression changing rapidly.

“…” Jiang Chuxie saw Gu Lingjun in the mirror, her expression still carrying a trace of distraction. “I’m fine…”

Gu Lingjun walked to her side, her expression dimming as she said, “Senior, you always seem to have a lot on your mind.”

“Everyone has some secrets they don’t want others to know.”

“Then if I told you my secrets, would you be willing to share yours with me?”

Jiang Chuxie looked down at Gu Lingjun’s face—the pure and gentle features of the Omega girl were so striking and radiant that even the bathroom lights shining on her seemed like the sacred glow of the goddess Eos.

The bond between girls often deepens through exchanging secrets, sharing secrets, and guarding secrets.

“Maybe one day…” Jiang Chuxie had calmed down considerably by now. After the initial shock, she started to think of some positive aspects. For instance, the heroine Jiang Weizao… could absolutely not be born at the original story’s timeline anymore. “I’ll tell you my secrets, but not now.”

Gu Lingjun looked a bit disappointed, and Jiang Chuxie couldn’t bear to see it. But to her surprise, Gu Lingjun quickly perked up and smiled.

“In that case, I’ll patiently wait for that day to come.”

After the four finished dinner, Zhuang Qi and Zhao Zi had a date planned, so Jiang Chuxie naturally took on the responsibility of walking Gu Lingjun home.

On weekends, Gu Lingjun would stay at her apartment. The two, in perfect sync, didn’t take a cab and instead walked for over half an hour from the restaurant to her home.

“Senior, would you like to come in for a bit?”

It was already dark outside. Although Gu Lingjun didn’t mind, Jiang Chuxie worried that a lone Alpha and Omega together might cause a bad impression.

“No need…”

Gu Lingjun smiled slightly. “There’s still the housekeeper at home, so I’m not alone.”

Jiang Chuxie caught her meaning and cleared her throat awkwardly—she, she definitely wasn’t overthinking anything.

Gu Lingjun stood at the door, smiling brightly at her. “Last time, I bought some pour-over coffee equipment, but I haven’t used it yet. Would you like to teach me tonight, Senior?”

Faced with Gu Lingjun’s enthusiastic invitation and expectant expression, Jiang Chuxie inexplicably couldn’t find the words to refuse.

The coffee beans were a gift from her, so teaching Gu Lingjun how to brew coffee was her duty, right?

“Then I…”

However, just as she was about to agree, the door suddenly opened from the inside. Standing there wasn’t the housekeeper but, shockingly, Gu Lian and Mu Qing.

There couldn’t possibly be anything more embarrassing than this!

Jiang Chuxie felt the exact kind of mortification and panic a middle schooler would feel when caught by their girlfriend’s parents while walking her home after a secret date.

Didn’t Gu Lingjun know her parents were here?

“Lingjun, you’re back,” Gu Lian said, glancing at Jiang Chuxie but addressing his daughter. “Why are you standing at the door and not coming in?”

“Dad, Mom?” Gu Lingjun’s surprise was no less than Jiang Chuxie’s. Looking at her parents, who hadn’t given her any heads-up, she asked, “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?”

“Oh, we were just passing by and didn’t have time to let you know,” Mu Qing said, stepping forward to affectionately hug Gu Lingjun. She then turned to Jiang Chuxie. “Miss Jiang, we meet again. Thank you for walking Lingjun home. Come in and sit for a bit.”

“Uh…”

Jiang Chuxie desperately wanted to refuse—really, really, really wanted to refuse.

“Come on, come in, sit for a bit. We’ve been wanting to treat you to dinner, but we haven’t had the chance. This is perfect timing.”

But Mu Qing didn’t give her a chance to refuse, pulling her inside. “Don’t be shy. Make yourself at home.”

Make herself at home? As if! Didn’t Mu Qing see the way her wife was glaring at Jiang Chuxie, practically ready to tear her apart?

Gu Lingjun was even more wary of her parents than Jiang Chuxie, but she didn’t stop Mu Qing from pulling her inside. As Jiang Chuxie passed by Gu Lian, he gave a soft, cold huff, his dissatisfaction clear as day.

Jiang Chuxie felt a bit guilty—after all, she had taken five million from him. Though she hadn’t spent it, she’d made a good amount of money with it in the stock market.

Could she still return the money to Gu Lian now?

No, wanting to return the money wasn’t because of guilt or because she had any improper thoughts about Gu Lingjun. It was just… just because she didn’t want to be seen as someone who breaks their word!

“I heard from Lingjun that you attended her birthday party. Thank you for being there for her when we couldn’t make it,” Gu Lian said.

“No, no, it was nothing…”

Gu’s father was good at making conversation, pulling Jiang Chuxie to the sofa, and soon they were chatting. Jiang Chuxie responded awkwardly, her mind racing with ways to find an excuse to slip away.

This was the consequence of hesitation. If she had been more decisive in refusing Gu Lingjun earlier, would she be stuck in this awkward situation now?

Jiang Chuxie, you deserve this!

Jiang Chuxie was dragged to the living room, but Gu Lingjun was stopped by Gu Lian at the entrance. Facing her mother’s serious expression, Gu Lingjun let out a soft sigh.

“Mom, what are you guys trying to do?”

“Nothing, just wanting to see what’s so great about this Jiang Chuxie who’s got you so smitten.”

“You’re clearly looking at her with prejudice.”

“Who made my daughter like her?”

Gu Lian said it with such conviction that Gu Lingjun felt a headache coming on. “Mom, she’s saved me before, more than once. If you really want to know about her, you can ask me first. I’ll tell you everything honestly.”

“Right now, you think she’s great, so you’ll only talk about her good points.”

“And with your biased lens, you’ll only see her flaws, won’t you?”

“She’d need to have flaws for me to see them,” Gu Lian said, unusually stubborn. “Besides, isn’t your dad looking at her without bias? Let him judge.”

Since becoming an Omega, Gu Lingjun rarely argued with her parents, but she didn’t expect her usually open-minded mother to be so stubborn about this.

“You can observe her all you want, but please don’t scare her.”

“Hmph, if she’s so easily scared, how dare she pursue you?”

“Mom, she’s not pursuing me. We’re friends, and I’m the one who likes her.”

“If she doesn’t even like you, why do you care so much about her? Lingjun, it’s not that Mom doesn’t approve of a mismatch in status, but your upbringings are too different. Do you know what kind of family she comes from? Even if love can sustain you now, conflicts will arise when you live together for a long time!”

“I don’t know what kind of family she comes from. I only know she respects me and respects Omegas. Every couple has conflicts, don’t they? Even you and Dad have them. As long as two people can work through them together—”

Gu Lingjun eagerly tried to express her thoughts to her mother, but as the words poured out, she suddenly felt a strange sense of déjà vu, as if this scene and these words had happened somewhere before.

“Do you think every difficulty is so easy to overcome?” Gu Lian interrupted before she could dwell on it. “Lingjun, you’re still young. Mom’s just afraid you’ll meet the wrong person and suffer for a lifetime!”

Gu Lingjun felt a headache. “Mom, you’re worrying too far ahead. Can’t you just let me and Senior get to know each other like normal friends for a while?”

With that, she didn’t want to hear more from Gu Lian and pushed past her toward the living room.

Gu Lian was both angry and helpless—once children grow up, they don’t stay close. Even a well-behaved, gentle child like Lingjun would get swept away by love and defy her parents. Who did she take after?