Dressed as the Scumbag Alpha Mom of the Tragic Female Lead (ABO, GL) - Chapter 90

Chapter 90

“Chuxie.”

“Chuxie.”

Zhuang Qi and Zhao Zi exchanged a knowing smile, acting as if nothing had happened. Zhuang Qi pretended not to have noticed the interaction between Jiang Chuxie and Gu Lingjun, quickly changing the subject.

“Why’d you come out? How’s the venue? Are the guests arriving?”

Jiang Chuxie expertly bounced Zhuang Shiwan in her arms, saying calmly, “I stepped out for some air. Are Wanwan and Yiyi joining too?”

Zhuang Shiyi was only two—such an event might scare her. Zhuang Qi hadn’t mentioned bringing her daughters.

“Godmother, me and Yiyi are going to play with Sister Zaozao,” Zhuang Shiwan said.

Zhao Zi cleared her throat awkwardly—she’d planned to drop her daughters off with Gu Lingjun, but Jiang Chuxie wasn’t supposed to know.

Jiang Chuxie tickled Zhuang Shiwan’s nose, chuckling. “You really like Sister Zaozao, huh?”

Zhuang Shiwan leaned on Jiang Chuxie’s shoulder, her big almond eyes squinting with a wide smile. “I love Sister Zaozao the most!”

Zhuang Shiyi, not to be outdone, piped up in her babyish voice, “Me, me too! I love Sister Zaozao the most!”

Jiang Chuxie hadn’t expected the expressionless little grump to be so popular. Maybe her sour face was selective.

“Uh, Chuxie, I’ll take Wanwan and Yiyi to… a friend’s place. You and Zhuang Qi handle things,” Zhao Zi said.

Jiang Chuxie nodded, setting Zhuang Shiwan down. The girl grabbed Zhao Zi’s hand, sweetly saying goodbye to Jiang Chuxie, then eagerly pulled her mom toward Gu Lingjun.

“I only just found out Gu Lingjun’s here!” Zhuang Qi said as soon as Zhao Zi left, rushing to clear herself. Jiang Chuxie gave a faint smile, her expression calm. “What does it matter if she’s here? Is it important when you found out?”

Zhuang Qi quickly shook her head. “Not important, not important. Gu Lingjun’s nothing! Let’s see if Miss Hu’s here yet. Isn’t she your date tonight?”

Jiang Chuxie nodded. “I’m heading to the restroom first.”

She’d almost forgotten after the interruption.

When Zhao Zi reached Gu Lingjun with her daughters, Zhuang Qi and Jiang Chuxie had already vanished down the other end of the hallway.

“Lingjun, you okay?” Zhao Zi asked, noting Gu Lingjun’s forced smile with concern.

“I’m fine. Let’s go up.”

“Sister Zaozao,” Zhuang Shiwan stood on the floor, looking up eagerly at Jiang Weizao, standing on tiptoes to hold her hand. “Sister Zaozao!”

Gu Lingjun smiled faintly, setting her daughter next to Zhuang Shiwan. “Zaozao, hold hands with Little Sister Wanwan.”

Unlike Zhuang Shiwan’s excitement, Jiang Weizao clutched her rabbit plushie, showing no interest in holding hands.

Zhuang Shiwan wasn’t upset, grabbing the dangling rabbit ears with her chubby hand and beaming at Jiang Weizao. “Sister Zaozao, we can play together again!”

Zhuang Qi’s kids had great temperaments, but Jiang Weizao wasn’t just unsmiling—she wasn’t good at bonding. Gu Lingjun helplessly patted her daughter’s head, regretting not spending more time with her when she was younger.

Back then, she was swamped and constantly in danger, too afraid to stay close to her daughter.

Today was Children’s Day. After watching Hardcore’s product launch, she took Jiang Weizao to an amusement park, but her daughter showed no interest in playing. They wandered a bit and returned.

“Mommy, I want to walk with the sisters too,” Zhuang Shiyi said, not wanting to be left out. She asked Zhao Zi to set her down next to Jiang Weizao, grabbing the other rabbit ear.

Jiang Weizao lowered her hand, letting the rabbit ears droop so Zhuang Shiyi didn’t have to strain on tiptoes. “Thank you, 姐姐,” she said happily.

Seeing this, Gu Lingjun finally showed a trace of a relieved smile.

“Lingjun, what did you and Chuxie talk about?” Zhao Zi asked eagerly once they returned to the room and the three kids were watching TV. Jiang Chuxie’s reaction was so calm that Zhao Zi almost thought Gu Lingjun was a hallucination.

“Nothing much. I was looking for Zaozao, ran into her, and we exchanged a couple of words.”

“She didn’t react to seeing Zaozao?”

Over the past six years, Zhao Zi often saw Gu Lingjun and shared news about Jiang Chuxie from Zhuang Qi. She didn’t know why Gu Lingjun divorced Jiang Chuxie, but it was clear Gu Lingjun still cared deeply—making it all the more confusing.

Gu Lingjun shook her head, smiling faintly. “Why would she react?”

“But Zaozao’s her daughter! Even if she’s mad at you, she wouldn’t be mad at… Uh, Lingjun, I didn’t mean it like that.”

Zhao Zi stopped mid-sentence, realizing she was rubbing salt in Gu Lingjun’s wound. They say pregnancy makes you silly for three years, and she felt her tongue had gotten looser lately—blame Zhuang Qi.

“I know,” Gu Lingjun said, glancing at the three kids watching TV in the living room, her voice soft. “I never meant to disrupt Chuxie’s life, or let Zaozao do so.”

Zhao Zi looked at Gu Lingjun’s profile, silent for a while.

“Lingjun, you clearly still love Jiang Chuxie. Why give her up?”

“There’s nothing to say about it.”

“Nothing to say? Jiang Chuxie’s about to become someone else’s Alpha!”

Gu Lingjun turned sharply. Zhao Zi, a bit annoyed, continued, “I never told you, but that idiot of mine… Zhuang Qi’s been setting Chuxie up with people. This time, Hardcore’s spokesperson, Hu Yunxue, is the latest one Zhuang Qi introduced! I just heard Hu Yunxue’s her date tonight.”

“Hu Yunxue? That new Omega actress?”

Omegas were rare in entertainment. Though often more beautiful than Betas, their heat cycles and pheromones required heavy support, raising costs and leading to industry practices that sidelined Omegas.

“Yeah! She was at the launch too.”

Gu Lingjun vaguely recalled a stunning Omega, pure and elegant… somewhat resembling her.

“Chuxie… is with her?”

“Not official, but from what Zhuang Qi says, it’s close! Chuxie only had a meal or two with others before, probably to avoid rumors. But some bad gossip reached Zhuang Qi, so she made me cook kidney-boosting feasts for Chuxie.”

During a holiday, Zhao Zi gave in to Zhuang Qi’s nagging, cooking all sorts of health-boosting meals for Jiang Chuxie’s supposed “kidney issues.” Chuxie stayed aloof, but Zhuang Qi ended up with a second child.

After that, company gossip spread about “President Jiang’s inadequacy” or “weird orientation,” nearly driving Zhuang Qi mad. This time, after much searching, she picked Hu Yunxue. After one dinner, Jiang Chuxie chose her as Hardcore’s phone spokesperson.

Zhuang Qi said Chuxie was smitten. Zhao Zi thought, No kidding—Hu Yunxue looked six or seven parts like Gu Lingjun. Even if Chuxie was devoted, six years of rejection should push her forward, especially with Zhuang Qi finding such a lookalike.

Gu Lingjun bit her lip. “If… Chuxie really likes her…”

“What if she does?”

Gu Lingjun pressed her lips together, then said after a pause, “Zhao Zi, it’s about time. Go to the banquet. I’ll take care of the kids.”

Zhao Zi, tense for a moment, sighed heavily. “You two are driving me crazy!”

Zhao Zi arrived late to the banquet, and Zhuang Qi, impatient, eagerly introduced her scholar wife to others. Zhao Zi saw Jiang Chuxie’s date—Hu Yunxue, who ditched her usual pure look for a violet backless gown, her makeup bold and stunningly beautiful.

Arm-in-arm with the tall Jiang Chuxie, Hu Yunxue’s radiance wasn’t dimmed. She listened with a gentle smile as Jiang Chuxie spoke with others, occasionally adding a well-timed compliment or witty remark, charming everyone.

“Come on, introduce me to Miss Hu,” Zhao Zi urged.

Zhuang Qi was puzzled. “Didn’t you dislike her before?”

I dislike her because of you!

“She’s Chuxie’s date. Even if I don’t like her, I should at least meet her, right?”

Zhuang Qi shrugged—her wife was always right—and led Zhao Zi to Jiang Chuxie.

“Chuxie,” Zhuang Qi said, though not unfamiliar with Hu Yunxue, she was cautious as a married person addressing an Omega, keeping some distance in her tone. “Miss Hu, let me introduce my wife.”

Hu Yunxue’s eyes widened with a hint of delight. “This is President Zhuang’s wife? I’ve heard so much about you. President Zhuang always praises your beauty and intellect, your dedication to research, and your contributions to improving Omega conditions. Seeing you today, I understand why she’s so smitten.”

Wow, she’s hitting me with flattery before I can even challenge her!

Zhao Zi felt a lump in her throat, managing only a “Thank you” after a pause.

Zhuang Qi loved hearing her wife praised, beaming with pride but saying humbly, “Oh, you’re too kind. Zhao Zi’s just a young regional manager at Moray, involved in a few groundbreaking projects, nothing major.”

Zhao Zi rolled her eyes—as if anyone could miss her bragging about me.

Hu Yunxue covered her mouth with a graceful laugh. “I’ve heard about the low-side-effect suppressants and mark-cleansing agents. I hope they get approved soon—I’m looking forward to them.”

Jiang Chuxie glanced at her, a faint, ambiguous smile on her lips.