Dressed as the Scumbag Alpha Mom of the Tragic Female Lead (ABO, GL) - Chapter 56

Chapter 56

“…Don’t go get the clothes alone after they’re washed. Tell me, and I’ll go with you. There’s too much.”

“Okay.”

“We ate a lot this afternoon, but you didn’t have dinner. You might get hungry later. If you want anything, call me, and I’ll get it…”

“Got it.”

After shopping, they returned to school. Since they bought bulky winter clothes, they sent them to the laundry first. Gu Lingjun, with her small appetite, had eaten plenty of snacks and couldn’t manage dinner.

Jiang Chuxie walked Gu Lingjun to her dorm but lingered, giving her instructions for over ten minutes, showing no sign of leaving.

“Also, send a message to Auntie and them to let them know you’re safe. They’re definitely worried.”

“I know.”

Gu Lingjun patiently responded to each point, smiling at Jiang Chuxie.

“And, what’s your class schedule tomorrow? I’ll pick you up.”

“I have classes starting first and second period tomorrow morning.”

“Then I’ll be here at 6:30.”

“Alright.”

“…”

Jiang Chuxie looked at Gu Lingjun’s beaming face, racking her brain for more to say, but she was out of ideas. It wasn’t that she couldn’t think of anything, but trivial topics would surely be seen through by Gu Lingjun, who was so sharp.

“Chuxie, anything else you want to tell me?”

Gu Lingjun’s lips curved slightly, a playful glint in her eyes. Jiang Chuxie instantly knew she’d been caught, her face flushing.

“N-no, that’s it…”

Her pale skin made the blush stand out, and to Gu Lingjun, it was especially cute.

“Don’t want to leave me?”

Gu Lingjun gently squeezed her fingers, her voice turning a touch coy, making Jiang Chuxie’s heart itch like ants were crawling.

“Yeah…”

Gu Lingjun chuckled softly. “We’ll see each other tomorrow, won’t we?”

Jiang Chuxie knew that, but she still felt uneasy. The feeling had no clear source—maybe she was worried about the future, or not yet used to being Gu Lingjun’s girlfriend, or perhaps she just liked her so much that she couldn’t bear to part.

“I just want to look at you a bit longer…”

She mumbled, a bit shy, and her reaction delighted Gu Lingjun.

Her words were pretty sweet, weren’t they?

“There’ll be plenty of time to look later. Just don’t get tired of me.”

“No way!”

Jiang Chuxie could genuinely feel her feelings for Gu Lingjun growing, especially after confirming her heart. She was fully experiencing the thrill of love.

Just seeing Gu Lingjun’s face made her happy. Hearing her voice brought calm. Every touch sent her heart racing and her cheeks burning. The thought of parting made her reluctant and moody.

“I’m teasing,” Gu Lingjun said, soothingly patting her hand with a smile. “I’d love to stay with you longer too, but it’s dark, you can’t enter the Omega dorm, and I can’t go to the Alpha dorm… Or, should we find somewhere else to hang out?”

“Uh, no, no need. It’s so cold, the roads are slippery, and it’s not safe to stay out late.”

This dummy hadn’t even considered staying out overnight?

“Well then, I’ll head to my dorm, and you go to yours. If you really miss me, we can call.”

Jiang Chuxie knew she couldn’t stall forever and nodded. “Alright, go on up. It’s too cold out here—you don’t want to freeze.”

“Got it. Be careful on your way back.”

Jiang Chuxie finally parted reluctantly with Gu Lingjun, her mood a mix of joy and worry. Being with Gu Lingjun was wonderful, but falling out with her parents was not what she wanted.

“Chuxie, Chuxie, how’d it go?” Zhuang Qi saw Jiang Chuxie return so late and assumed things went well, asking eagerly, “Did you have dinner at the Gu house?”

Jiang Chuxie shook her head, smiling bitterly. “I was at the Gu house for less than ten minutes before I got kicked out. Auntie Gu wouldn’t listen to me—she just won’t let me be with Gu Lingjun.”

“What? Then what were you doing all afternoon? Where’s Gu Lingjun? Did Gu Lian lock her up?”

Jiang Chuxie sighed. “Lingjun argued with her mom, and Auntie Gu made her choose between me and them. Lingjun fell out with them, pulled me out, and… I was helping her buy clothes this afternoon.”

Zhuang Qi’s mouth hung open, taking a moment to process before smacking Jiang Chuxie’s arm.

“Wow, Gu Lingjun eloped with you! Where is she now?”

“I walked her back to her dorm.”

Zhuang Qi slapped her forehead, sighing dramatically. “She eloped with you, and you just sent her to the dorm?”

“What else could I do? And it’s not really eloping—her parents know, and they don’t seem to want to drag her back.”

“Even if they wanted to, they wouldn’t do it now. Gu Lian told her to choose, so she can’t backtrack right away.” Zhuang Qi was floored by her friend’s cluelessness. “Gu Lingjun chose you over her parents. That’s not just being your girlfriend—she’s entrusting her life to you. How could you just send her to the dorm?”

“Then what should I have done? It gets dark so fast, it’s cold out, and staying out late isn’t good.”

“Why’d you both come back tonight? Go get a hotel and complete the marking!”

“Cough—w-what are you talking about? We just got together.”

“Sis, you just got together, but didn’t you already do everything before? This isn’t just dating—it’s one step from marriage! Gu Lingjun left her family for you. You’re tied together now. Don’t you need to show some commitment?”

“Why do you think marking shows commitment?”

Jiang Chuxie frowned, instinctively repelled by the idea of marking. Maybe that’s why, even in the heat of the moment, she hadn’t marked Gu Lingjun. When an Alpha marks an Omega, the Omega is fully bound to them—a one-way tether.

From body to mind, the Omega is affected by the mark. When both are in harmony, it’s subtle, and the Omega seems independent. But in a disagreement, the Alpha can make the Omega submit instantly, even unintentionally, and the Omega will still be influenced.

To Jiang Chuxie, this master-servant dynamic was utterly warped. She didn’t think Omegas would want to be marked. Maybe naive Alphas bought the idea, but most used it to deceive others.

Seeing Jiang Chuxie’s expression, Zhuang Qi knew she’d hit a nerve. Almost reflexively, she started picking apart her own words. It wasn’t that she lacked opinions, but in Alpha-Omega matters, Jiang Chuxie’s views often aligned with Zhao Zi’s.

“Because marking… doesn’t it show the Alpha wants to take responsibility for the Omega?”

“By controlling her life? I don’t think marking is good, especially for Omegas. Zhuang Qi, do you like Zhao Zi just for her looks, or do you like her inner self too?”

“No question, Zhao Zi’s got a brilliant mind and a fascinating soul. Discussing things with her is inspiring. I love both her looks and her inner self.”

“But if you marked her, when you disagree, there’d be no more discussions, no clash of ideas. She’d just follow your will, even if you didn’t mean to make her submit. She’d still be affected. Would you like that?”

Zhuang Qi shook her head, incredulous. “Is it really that bad? How’ve I never heard this?”

Because society didn’t broadcast it. Omegas might feel it firsthand, but most Alphas and Betas only had a vague idea. Jiang Chuxie had read the original story, audited biology classes, and researched extensively.

Current biology textbooks were often vague or silent on the topic. Only those passionate about learning and seeking out extra materials could uncover the truth. As dean of B University’s biology institute, Xu Wen was a sexist with academic misconduct, showing how rotten the field was domestically.

“Because no one talks about it. Some even stop others from telling the truth.”

With the internet underdeveloped, most people relied on books and TV for information, and communication was slow. Outside related fields, most didn’t even have partial knowledge.

In an information explosion, people filter and verify data. But here, now, most lacked access to information altogether.

Zhuang Qi struggled to accept Jiang Chuxie’s words, frowning for a while before saying, “Let’s drop this for now. But you’ve got to show Gu Lingjun some commitment. She can stay in the dorm now, but winter break’s coming. If she doesn’t go home, where’ll she live?”

Zhuang Qi was indeed thoughtful in many ways. Jiang Chuxie hadn’t considered this yet. She’d been so happy with Gu Lingjun that afternoon, and deep down, she hoped Gu Lingjun would reconcile with her family soon.

“Apply to stay on campus… Oh, the deadline’s passed.”

Since starting university, Jiang Chuxie never went home, always applying to stay in the dorm during breaks. But it was semester’s end, and the deadline had long passed.

Seeing her friend miss every hint, Zhuang Qi groaned. “How did Gu Lingjun fall for a blockhead like you? With things as they are, you two could live together! Rent a place near campus and stay with her. She chose you over her parents—giving her a home is the least you can do, right? That’s real responsibility.”

“L-live together? Wouldn’t that hurt Gu Lingjun’s reputation?”

Zhuang Qi was livid. “She already el—no, openly ran off with you! Who cares about reputation? If you keep being so lukewarm, people will laugh at her when word gets out! Get this straight—you two aren’t just casually dating.”

Jiang Chuxie doubted Gu Lian would let the news spread, but putting herself in Gu Lingjun’s shoes, she realized Gu Lingjun had risked everything for her. Had her reaction today been too mild?

“Ugh, stop overthinking,” Zhuang Qi snapped, seeing her hesitate. “Just ask Gu Lingjun if she’s willing. Let her decide. That’s not hard, is it?”

Jiang Chuxie was fully convinced, nodding. “I’ll ask her.”

Zhuang Qi nodded, satisfied. “Good. Worrying about you’s making my hair fall out. Figure it out yourself—I’m calling Zhao Zi.”

“Wait, can you give me your cousin’s contact info?”

“Hm? You want my cousin’s number?” Zhuang Qi, intrigued, rattled off the number and asked, “What’s up? Need her for something?”

“Yeah, I want to consult her about something. When’s she usually free?”

“I’ll give her a heads-up. Just text her when you want to talk.”

“Thanks.”

Zhuang Qi didn’t ask what it was about, and Jiang Chuxie didn’t want to say. After all… sterilization was unthinkable for other Alphas. If she said it, who knew how Zhuang Qi would react?

After the incident, Jiang Chuxie had impulsively considered physical castration, but even for her, cutting off a body part took courage. Now that she was with Gu Lingjun, if she went through with it, what would happen during Gu Lingjun’s heat?

Calmer now, she realized preventing the protagonist’s birth didn’t require that. Sterilization would do.

But in this world, Beta fertility was low, and Alphas and Omegas were rare. To maintain population numbers, Betas couldn’t use contraception, and Alphas and Omegas were encouraged to have as many kids as possible. Sterilization surgery had a tiny audience.

There was no info online, so Jiang Chuxie had to ask someone in the field to see if hospitals offered it.

Of course, she’d need to discuss it with Gu Lingjun later, since it involved offspring and wasn’t her decision alone.

Jiang Chuxie never knew being with someone she liked could be so joyful. Besides attending classes and eating together, they spent most of their time in the library. With finals approaching, Jiang Chuxie paused her work to focus on studying.

“Lingjun, there’s something I want to talk about.”

After studying in the library, they headed to lunch. Jiang Chuxie, after much thought, chose this moment to ask for Gu Lingjun’s opinion.

“Hm? What’s that?”

Exams started tomorrow, and with winter break nearing, Jiang Chuxie had rented a place nearby. Whether Gu Lingjun wanted to live together or not, she needed somewhere to stay.

“What are your plans for winter break? Like… where to live.”

“I’ve been thinking about that. A roommate invited me to her place, but I feel it’d be too much trouble for her, so I haven’t decided. I don’t have enough money to buy a place. If it comes to it, I’ll stay in a hotel or travel. I’ll figure it out after exams.”

Buy a place… Jiang Chuxie could only say, Gu Lingjun was every bit the heiress!

“Here’s the thing—I rented a place off-campus. If you need somewhere to stay, you can live there.”

Gu Lingjun raised an eyebrow, smiling. “With you?”

Jiang Chuxie felt like her sneaky intentions were exposed, a flush spreading from her neck to her cheeks.

“I-I didn’t mean anything by it. The place has two bedrooms… O-of course, if you don’t want to, I can stay in the dorm.”

Gu Lingjun’s almond eyes curved with a smile. “I didn’t say I wasn’t willing, did I? I’m happy you invited me.”

Jiang Chuxie’s face lit up. “You’re okay living with me?”

Gu Lingjun blinked, teasing. “I thought you wouldn’t even think of it.”

“Oh…”

Though unspoken, Gu Lingjun clearly meant she’d been waiting for Jiang Chuxie to ask.

Jiang Chuxie felt ashamed, apologizing. “Sorry for making you wait. I wasn’t thoughtful enough.”

Gu Lingjun shook her head. “It’s fine. I’m really happy now.”

Jiang Chuxie exhaled, her heart stirring with excitement.

“When do you want to check it out? We might need to get some things. Oh, after exams is fine too.”

“Let’s go after exams. It’s almost finals—you must be busy. Helping me with study guides, handling your own schoolwork, and the company. Don’t overdo it.”

“It’s okay. Zhuang Qi’s handling most of the company stuff. I rarely deal with the small things.”

Zhuang Qi wasn’t passionate about her major but threw herself into the startup with boundless enthusiasm, thriving despite the grind. But ask her to study a textbook or write code, and she’d instantly get a headache and collapse.

In the past, to appease her family, Zhuang Qi put in some effort studying, and with Jiang Chuxie’s help, her grades were decent. Now, with her “career” as an excuse, she just aimed to pass her major without failing.

Jiang Chuxie had seen similar people in her past life and didn’t restrain her, letting her shine in her strengths. For Zhuang Qi and her family, grades and a diploma might not matter much.

But Jiang Chuxie, with her ordinary mindset, wanted to take her second chance at being a student seriously. As a tech person, learning more and mastering it could only help.

The company was still losing more than it earned. Besides some revenue from Xueyou Network, the other two products were burning cash. But good news: photolithography had hit 0.13 microns, years ahead of Jiang Chuxie’s expectations.

Once that level of CPU hit mass production, not only would their configured computers get cheaper, but software development would leap forward.

As a downstream developer, Jiang Chuxie was eagerly awaiting a photolithography breakthrough. Her products weren’t unprofitable because they were bad but because the user base wasn’t big enough yet.

After lunch, Jiang Chuxie headed to the hospital.

Her psychological therapy had ended. After resolving things and opening her heart to her feelings for Gu Lingjun, her mental state had gradually recovered.

Occasionally, thinking of the original story’s plot still brought anxiety and a sense of crisis, but it was manageable.

This hospital visit wasn’t for therapy but to see Gao Yuanxun. Last time, Jiang Chuxie asked about sterilization surgery, and Gao Yuanxun wanted to discuss it in person.

“Come in.”

Hearing the response after knocking, Jiang Chuxie opened the door. Gao Yuanxun was hanging up the phone, looking up at her.

“Chuxie, you’re here. Sit down.”

“Sister Yuanxun, sorry for making you take time out. I feel bad.”

Gao Yuanxun smiled warmly. “No trouble. You’re Xiao Qi’s dear friend, so you’re like my sister. You’re consulting me on something this big—it shows you trust me. I can’t let you down.”

Her words embarrassed Jiang Chuxie. The Zhuang family’s upbringing, seen in both her and Zhuang Qi, was indeed different from most.

“Thank you…”

“Don’t thank me yet. I can’t help much with this. I checked with the hospital and friends—no legitimate hospital in the country does this surgery. Some reputable places abroad offer it, but female Alphas have different physiology than males, so the risks and difficulty are higher. Unless it’s for medical reasons, I don’t recommend it.”

Jiang Chuxie had anticipated this but was still disappointed to hear it confirmed.

“I see…”

Gao Yuanxun smiled gently at her face, her tone soft. “Chuxie, maybe I’m meddling, but can I ask why you want this surgery? Is it related to your therapy?”

Jiang Chuxie gave a wry smile—if she could say, she wouldn’t be so troubled.

“It’s somewhat related, but… if it’s not possible, I won’t push it.”

Sterilization was the simplest solution, but there were other contraceptive methods. Besides, delaying Jiang Weizao’s birth by a few years might significantly alter the plot, so she didn’t need to fixate on this.

Gao Yuanxun, ever the caring big sister, said, “Want to talk about it? I might not solve it, but you might feel better getting it out.”

Jiang Chuxie stared at her for a moment, then shook her head.

“Thanks, Sister Yuanxun, but… it’s not that important.”

Gao Yuanxun had asked to meet in person, likely feeling it wasn’t a phone conversation. But Jiang Chuxie had no intention of revealing she was a transmigrator. It was the biggest uncontrollable factor, with unknown impacts on this world.

Gao Yuanxun didn’t press, just nodded. “It’s best if you can let it go.”

Jiang Chuxie thanked her again and left. Gao Yuanxun watched her go, a thoughtful look on her face.