Dressed as the Scumbag Alpha Mom of the Tragic Female Lead (ABO, GL) - Chapter 45

Chapter 45

Jiang Chuxie snapped out of her daze and looked toward the source of the voice, spotting a male Omega in a white winter outfit standing nearby.

“Yu Wen?”

The moment she saw him, Jiang Chuxie couldn’t help but frown, pushing Gu Lingjun’s earlier hesitation to the back of her mind. The relaxed and intimate atmosphere vanished, and Jiang Chuxie instantly went on guard.

Too coincidental.

Their trip wasn’t exactly a secret, but they hadn’t broadcast it either. How could it be so convenient to run into Yu Wen here?

Whether Yu Wen had followed them knowing they were at the resort or it was pure chance, neither was a good sign. The difference was only whether Yu Wen had ulterior motives or the plot was dragging him into her life.

“Senior, long time no see.” Yu Wen walked over with a bright smile, his tone familiar. “I haven’t seen you since the welcome party. I heard you’ve been super busy.”

“Why are you here?”

Jiang Chuxie didn’t know if this Yu Wen was the same as the one from the later parts of the original story. After all, she’d transmigrated, and Gu Lingjun seemed affected, showing some changes. So maybe this male side character, who might’ve avoided being ruined, had changed too.

Even having read the original story, she couldn’t judge him for things he hadn’t done. Still, she had no desire to deal with him.

“President Liang Que is stepping down from the student council after the holidays, so he invited the members for a final gathering at the resort.”

Hearing Liang Que’s name made Jiang Chuxie’s head throb.

“Oh, well, have fun.”

Yu Wen seemed oblivious to her brush-off, sitting on a nearby bench with a curious look. “Are you and Gu Lingjun here on a date? Oh, I still haven’t properly thanked Gu Lingjun for last time.”

“No, we’re just—”

Jiang Chuxie didn’t want misunderstandings, but Gu Lingjun suddenly gripped her hand tightly and cut in. “It’s not just us. Senior Zhuang Qi and Senior Zhao Zi are here too… call it a four-person date.”

Jiang Chuxie glanced at Gu Lingjun, who was smiling at Yu Wen. For some reason, she felt this smile was different from Gu Lingjun’s usual one.

“As for before, I didn’t really do much. You don’t need to keep it on your mind.”

Yu Wen’s gaze fell on their joined hands. “So I don’t need to hold back?”

“Hold back in what way?”

Yu Wen smiled but didn’t answer, instead saying with envy, “Gu Lingjun, I’m jealous. You’ve got such a great girlfriend in Senior Jiang.”

Gu Lingjun isn’t her girlfriend.

Jiang Chuxie felt their conversation was both clear and confusing. But she wisely held back from clarifying, sensing from Gu Lingjun’s attitude that denying it in front of Yu Wen wasn’t the best move.

“No need to be jealous. Don’t you have plenty of great Alphas chasing you?”

Yu Wen gave a bitter smile. “Great Alphas? Which Alpha doesn’t think they’re great?”

Listening to them, Jiang Chuxie was plotting her escape. If her feet weren’t still soaking in the spring, she’d have pulled Gu Lingjun away already.

“You’re… not wrong.”

Gu Lingjun genuinely agreed with Yu Wen. When it came to views on Alphas, few Omegas couldn’t relate.

“Of course, that doesn’t include Senior Jiang.” Yu Wen smiled at Jiang Chuxie, his gaze openly admiring. “She’s the most humble and upright Alpha I’ve ever met.”

Jiang Chuxie nearly shook her head and waved her hands, shouting, I’m not, I’m not! Being called the most humble and upright just for acting normal was more than she could handle.

“I… actually think I’m pretty great too.”

After all, she’d worked hard to put herself through college, which was worth some praise. Of course, that had nothing to do with being an Alpha—her Alpha status just made it easier.

At her words, Gu Lingjun and Yu Wen burst out laughing in uncanny sync, leaving Jiang Chuxie feeling like the odd one out.

This wasn’t good. If this kept up, wouldn’t Gu Lingjun and Yu Wen get closer?

“Gu Lingjun, it’s about time. Let’s head back.”

She needed to keep both herself and Gu Lingjun away from Yu Wen.

Gu Lingjun nodded, pulling out her handkerchief while saying to Jiang Chuxie, “Mm, let’s dry off first.”

Jiang Chuxie assumed Gu Lingjun was drying her own legs, but as she reached for her own handkerchief, Gu Lingjun suddenly bent down.

“Senior, lift your leg.”

Huh?

Jiang Chuxie felt her knee being nudged and, hearing Gu Lingjun’s words, instinctively raised her leg. But she quickly realized something was wrong!

Why was Gu Lingjun wiping her feet?

Wait, wait, wait, wait!

Someone else was right there! No, even if no one was around, Gu Lingjun shouldn’t be doing this!

Her feet didn’t smell, did they? She was pretty sure they didn’t! But they’d walked a lot today… though she’d soaked in the spring. No, no, even after soaking, this wasn’t okay. They weren’t that close.

Oh, she was going to die!

“Lift the other leg.”

As Jiang Chuxie’s brain nearly overheated, Gu Lingjun’s calm voice cut through. One leg was half-raised, the other still in the spring, and she froze, unable to move.

“Senior~” Gu Lingjun, half-bent, tilted her head, her eyes holding a hint of reproach. “Hurry and lift it.”

Jiang Chuxie screamed no internally, but her body obeyed Gu Lingjun’s… words.

Gu Lingjun was acting like a dutiful little wife, so why did Jiang Chuxie feel she was the one being dominated?

Seeing her lift the other leg obediently, Gu Lingjun’s lips curved into a smile as she carefully dried her feet.

As an Alpha, Jiang Chuxie’s limbs were long, her hands and feet larger than most Omegas and Betas. But as a woman, her frame still held a slender, soft beauty.

For soaking, she’d rolled her pants to her calves, her pale skin flushed bright red from the hot spring.

“I’ll put on my own shoes and socks!”

Jiang Chuxie didn’t care if Gu Lingjun intended to help—she was refusing first! She hurriedly turned to grab her shoes and socks, her slim, bony ankles crossing awkwardly, betraying her flustered state.

Gu Lingjun smiled faintly. “Okay, Senior, you do it.”

Jiang Chuxie fumbled into her shoes and socks, then noticed Gu Lingjun still sitting, her soaked handkerchief beside her. She quickly pulled out her own.

“Use mine.”

Gu Lingjun looked up at Jiang Chuxie but didn’t take it. “Thanks, Senior.”

Huh?

What… did that mean?

“Then, uh, I’ll help you?”

It was only fair to return the favor, right?

Gu Lingjun nodded, repeating, “Thanks, Senior.”

Alright, that’s what she meant.

Jiang Chuxie hesitated only briefly before crouching down—not out of reluctance, but embarrassment. Since Gu Lingjun had helped her, it was only right to reciprocate.

Though she still didn’t get why they had to help each other.

Determined not to be awkward, Jiang Chuxie saw Gu Lingjun lift her leg toward the channel’s edge and quickly scooped it onto her knee.

“That’s not clean.”

Gu Lingjun trembled slightly but soon relaxed, smiling at Jiang Chuxie, who was focused on helping her.

She knew Jiang Chuxie hated owing anyone, so she’d definitely return the favor.

If anyone was most annoyed about Yu Wen interrupting her confession, it was undoubtedly Gu Lingjun.

Though she knew it wasn’t the best moment, she couldn’t keep waiting.

For one, she wasn’t sure what Gu Lian might do about her sneaking out. For another, she could tell that unless she took a bigger step, Jiang Chuxie would never catch on.

She hoped that even if Jiang Chuxie couldn’t give a clear answer now, she’d start noticing her. Gu Lingjun felt Jiang Chuxie wasn’t entirely indifferent, just hesitating for reasons she knew or didn’t.

She was working to open Jiang Chuxie’s heart and didn’t want anyone interfering.

Just a moment ago, she’d been so close.

In that brief silence, none of the three spoke.

Jiang Chuxie dried one of Gu Lingjun’s feet, then lifted the other from the water. Unlike Alphas, Omegas seemed small and soft everywhere.

Gu Lingjun’s feet, like her hands, were delicate and soft, her milky skin smooth and fine, her ten toes round and cute like pearls.

Forget this life—Jiang Chuxie hadn’t seen feet this dainty even in her past life.

Was this what Omegas were like?

Compared to Gu Lingjun, she started doubting if she’d even been a girl in her past life. Way too rough!

Jiang Chuxie didn’t think she had a foot fetish, but… beautiful things were just beautiful. A pretty person’s feet were lovable too—ah, she’d let go, not literally lovable!

“Uh, your shoes…”

“I’ll put them on myself. Thanks, Senior.” Gu Lingjun’s toes lightly tapped Jiang Chuxie’s knee, her voice soft. “But could you grab them for me?”

Jiang Chuxie froze for a moment. Gu Lingjun’s demeanor and tone were gentle, but maybe because of their positions, looking up, she briefly felt like she saw a queenly aura in Gu Lingjun.

“Senior?”

“Huh?”

Gentle Gu Lingjun, a queen? Even if she’d grown more assertive and lively, she couldn’t go from a pitiful, dependent heroine to a queen!

“Oh, yeah, I’ll get them.”

It’d be hard for Gu Lingjun to reach her shoes like this. Snapping out of it, Jiang Chuxie held her leg and leaned to grab her boots. Gu Lingjun, meanwhile, glanced at Yu Wen.

Yu Wen’s expression was subdued, seemingly unfazed by Gu Lingjun’s claim-staking, but a closer look revealed a lingering shadow on his face.

Gu Lingjun hoped he’d back off. Even without her, Jiang Chuxie clearly wanted little to do with him.

“Once you’re ready, let’s head back. It’s still cold out—don’t catch a chill from the hot and cold.”

Jiang Chuxie handed Gu Lingjun her boots, and by the time she stood, Yu Wen’s expression was back to normal.

“Senior, I’ll head back with you guys. Wandering alone is so boring.”

Jiang Chuxie waited for Gu Lingjun to put on her shoes, shrugging. “Go back if you want.”

“Senior, which area are you staying in? We’re in Area B. Come hang out sometime.”

“I don’t know your student council folks, so I’ll pass.”

Jiang Chuxie didn’t know how else to keep Yu Wen away. He hadn’t done anything excessive yet—she just wanted distance because of the original plot. She couldn’t exactly threaten him, could she?

“But a lot of our student council members really like you, Senior Jiang.”

Jiang Chuxie frowned, finding his words odd. She wasn’t close with anyone from the humanities college, except meeting Liang Que and Yu Wen.

And Liang Que definitely didn’t like her—being neutral was generous.

“Senior, let’s go.” Gu Lingjun, now shod, naturally linked arms with Jiang Chuxie, smiling at Yu Wen. “You coming too?”

“Of course! It’s rare to run into you two.” Yu Wen didn’t back down, walking to Jiang Chuxie’s other side. “There’s probably fun stuff in the hotel. Let’s check it out together.”

“No thanks, I’m going to rest in my room.”

“Oh~” Yu Wen dragged out the sound ambiguously. “Are you and Gu Lingjun sharing a room?”

What? No way! Even for couples, unmarried people didn’t share rooms! This was an ABO world—sharing a room would be a huge deal!

“We’re not—”

“We’re just in the same suite, not the same room,” Gu Lingjun cut in.

Because of the marking system, once an Omega was marked, they were bound to the Alpha unless they endured the painful mark-washing process. So the country banned premarital marking.

In practice, “banned” meant couples had to marry within three months of marking.

Thus, serious Alpha-Omega couples with no marriage plans typically avoided sharing rooms. With pheromones at play, no one could guarantee resisting the urge to mark.

Of course, this didn’t apply to Alphas who just wanted to claim Omegas.

“Oh~”

Yu Wen’s knowing look irritated Jiang Chuxie, but since Gu Lingjun had lied for a reason, she didn’t want to call her out in front of him.

The three chatted sporadically as they returned to the hotel. Jiang Chuxie wanted to go to her room, and to avoid Yu Wen catching on, she had to take Gu Lingjun with her.

“Ha—” The moment the door closed, Jiang Chuxie let out a deep sigh. “What is Yu Wen even thinking?”

She’d been so obvious. As an adult, couldn’t he take a hint?

Gu Lingjun peeked through the peephole, confirming Yu Wen was gone, then chuckled softly. “Senior, you don’t really not know what he’s thinking, do you?”

If she said she didn’t know, Jiang Chuxie did know. She just didn’t get why, despite her clear rejections, Yu Wen wouldn’t back off.

Didn’t he see that pushing closer only annoyed her more?

“But I’ve clearly rejected him.”

Gu Lingjun shook her head. “Senior, you underestimate people’s persistence and your own charm.”

Caught off guard by Gu Lingjun’s direct compliment, Jiang Chuxie flushed with embarrassment.

“Ahem, you’re exaggerating. He’s probably just… blind.”

“Too much humility feels a bit fake,” Gu Lingjun said, walking toward Jiang Chuxie with a smile. “By your logic, am I blind too?”

Jiang Chuxie suddenly recalled their interrupted conversation, realizing it was just the two of them in the room. She instinctively stepped back.

She’d almost forgotten! What… what had Gu Lingjun been about to say?

Oh no, they were in a room now. Even if she wanted to escape, she couldn’t.

“Uh… thanks for lying to help me brush off Yu Wen!”

Her mind raced, opting to strike first. She really didn’t want things with Gu Lingjun to get awkward or to reject her like she did Yu Wen.

Gu Lingjun tilted her head, her smile playful. “You’re welcome. Didn’t I say you could use me to fend off others?”

“Er… yeah, but, but saying we’re staying together might not be good for your reputation.”

“I don’t care about reputation.”

“But if your parents find out… they’re already mad. I don’t want you fighting with them over this.”

Gu Lingjun’s lips parted, as if to say something, but after trembling a few times, she closed them.

Jiang Chuxie watched her nervously, her heart a mix of anxiety, conflict, and fear.

She didn’t want Gu Lingjun to like her, didn’t want things to keep heading toward the original plot.

Perhaps sensing her unease, Gu Lingjun sighed softly and smiled again.

“Senior, where’s your handkerchief? I’ll wash them together.”

“Huh?”

Jiang Chuxie didn’t catch the sudden topic shift. Gu Lingjun held out her hand. “Didn’t I use your handkerchief? I’ll wash it.”

“No, no need… oh, let me wash yours too.”

“How about we each wash the other’s?”

“Uh… sure, I guess.”

Seeing Gu Lingjun act normal, Jiang Chuxie relaxed. This was good—she hoped nothing changed, at least for now.

Yu Wen sat quietly on a sofa, facing a male Beta who stared at him sternly.

“Have you made contact with Jiang Chuxie?”

“Yeah, she was with Gu Lingjun…”

“Even if she’s with Gu Lingjun, as long as there’s no mark, you still have a chance.”

“But…”

“Don’t you like her?”

Yu Wen bit his lip. “That’s why I don’t want her to hate me more.”

The male Beta burst out laughing.

“Yu Wen, oh, Yu Wen, how are you still so naive? You haven’t forgotten what you’ve done or why you’re here, have you?”

Yu Wen paled, his voice dropping. “I know…”

“Don’t forget, without the organization’s help, your parents would’ve sold you off to fund your brother’s wedding house.”

“I-I know…”

“But after getting into college and cozying up to Liang Que, what did you do? You betrayed the organization, tried to blackmail the president with a recording. We’ve been very lenient with you.”

Yu Wen lowered his head, his voice faint. “I know I messed up. I just… don’t want to be involved in this anymore. I’m scared the student council will find out I’m passing you information. I just want a normal life. You took the president’s recording—I don’t have backups. I’ve paid back all the money the organization spent on me these past two years. Can’t you let me go?”

The Beta sneered. “Don’t you think it’s a bit late for that?”

Yu Wen let out a stifled sob.

“Yu Wen, we’ve been more than kind. Now’s your chance to make up for it and repay the organization. Jiang Chuxie is very important to us. If you can control her, get her to work with us, all your past mistakes will be forgiven, and the president will reward you generously.”

“But she doesn’t like me…”

“Heh, what Alpha can truly resist an Omega’s advances? She just chose Gu Lingjun over you. But if she marks you first, won’t she have to marry you?”

Yu Wen understood but knew that for an Omega to do this required more than overcoming shame—it meant wrestling with guilt and instinctual fear.

“You know our organization fights for Omega and Beta rights. Yu Wen, we chose you for this because we know you like Jiang Chuxie. Isn’t this a win-win?”

Yu Wen pressed his lips together, his clenched fists trembling slightly.

The Beta continued leisurely. “Let’s be real, you’ve got that Omega subservience. Despite suffering from parents who favor Alphas, you still fall for one. Liang Que’s a loser, but he was genuine—spent money on you, got you into the student council. But you? You fell for Jiang Chuxie, agreed to be that bio academy Alpha’s dance partner, and barely gave Liang Que a glance.”

Yu Wen’s head sank lower. After tearing into him, the Beta’s tone shifted.

“The president’s plan is entirely for your benefit. Compared to most Alphas, Jiang Chuxie’s a catch. Think about it—with her current trajectory and the president’s favor, her future’s limitless. And you like her character, right? If it’s her, she’ll take responsibility. For a stable—no, a luxurious life—this momentary shame and grievance is worth enduring, isn’t it?”

Yu Wen sobbed softly, his resolve crumbling. Seeing he’d said enough, the Beta stood, placing two syringes on the coffee table.

“One for you, one for Jiang Chuxie. Don’t mix them up.”