Killing Marriage [ABO] - Chapter 2

Chapter 2: The Consequences Of Getting On The Horizontal Bar Right After Surgery Were Severe.

Ren Zhong’s stitches tore open and got infected. Before long, complications developed and his condition worsened—so much so that he ended up in the ICU (Intensive Care Unit).

He hadn’t collapsed defending his country, but a few spins on the horizontal bar nearly killed him.

By the time he was discharged, with both legs in heavy casts like snow boots and seated in a wheelchair, he was already a married man.

Before his condition had taken a turn for the worse, Commander Chen had made him fill out the matchmaking system questionnaire. When Ren Zhong went into surgery and later the ICU, Commander Chen didn’t visit him once—he was too busy screening potential partners, insisting that Ren Zhong was tough enough to survive and get married afterward.

“At a time like this, we’re still doing blind marriages?” Ren Zhong sneered coldly.

The electric wheelchair whirred and hummed, propelling Ren Zhong forward and stirring a small breeze.

Jogging alongside his chair was his childhood friend.

“The Mandatory Marriage Matching Regulation is just society moving backward,” she said. “Those people up top care more about the numbers than human rights. Locking abusers up with their families somehow boosts the birth rate and lowers crime? What kind of garbage logic is that?”

Ren Zhong’s childhood friend—and current neighbor—was a female Alpha. She’d picked him up from the hospital on her morning jog.

Ren Zhong replied to her absently, his brain still sluggish.

“So, what’s your Alpha’s name? What do they look like? How old? What do their parents do?” she asked, clearly curious about his new spouse.

Ren Zhong summed it all up in one sentence:

“I don’t know.”

His friend: “…”

She let out a surprised laugh.

“So it really was a blind marriage… Seriously, aren’t you even a little curious?”

“Not interested.” Ren Zhong even yawned widely. “I didn’t want this marriage in the first place.”

His friend couldn’t help but sigh.

“Remember how we used to say, ‘whoever gets married first is the loser’? Never thought you, of all people, would cave before me.”

That irritated Ren Zhong.

“If I hadn’t been injured and forced out of active duty, I could’ve bought more time with another deferment. What about yours? Has your delay request expired yet?”

“Not yet—but soon.” She sighed. “It’s up next month. Whether early or late, we’re all shackled by the same system. It’s just a matter of who gets dragged down first.”

One Omega, one Alpha—there had never been any romantic spark between them, but their friendship had stood the test of time. They even bought neighboring homes in the same community. Since Ren Zhong spent most of his time on military bases, his friend had been helping manage his property.

“I’d bet your Alpha’s pretty loaded,” she suddenly declared.

“How would you know?” Ren Zhong didn’t even know whether his spouse was a cat or a dog.

She analyzed,

“After your marriage was confirmed, they brought in a massive renovation team. Dozens of workers. All done within a month. That kind of speed and manpower screams money. You probably won’t even recognize your house when you see it.”

Ren Zhong had heard about the renovation.

Right after his surgery, he’d received a message from the Alpha—asking where he wanted to recover during their marriage leave. Upon learning that Ren Zhong preferred to use his own property, the Alpha had promptly gone to inspect the place.

It was a beautiful unit—great structure, excellent sunlight, and a fantastic layout.

But…

It was a bare shell. Completely unfinished.

Ren Zhong had bought the house while busy serving the country and never actually moved in.

The Alpha had politely offered to handle the renovation and sent a few reference images, asking about his interior design preferences.

Ren Zhong, too busy recovering, had no time to deal with a total stranger who was technically now his “husband,” so he just replied,

“Whatever,”
and left it at that.

Now, in hindsight, he regretted it a little.

That was his home. His property. Who knew what kind of tacky old-folks-home aesthetic that Alpha might’ve installed?

From a distance, their home came into view.

The dusty, barren courtyard he remembered was long gone, replaced by a fully landscaped garden.

No gaudy rock formations, no mosquito-breeding ponds, no impractical stepping stones—none of the things Ren Zhong hated were present. The developer’s default tacky European style had been replaced with a sophisticated, minimalist wood-and-stone aesthetic.

He scrutinized it with the most nitpicky mindset—and surprisingly, couldn’t find a single flaw. He even found the courtyard… somewhat pleasing.

And to his dismay, he caught himself thinking:

“Those chairs in the yard look kinda comfortable.”

Ren Zhong: “…”

Damn.

Annoyed, he cursed under his breath.

He pressed his fingerprint against the scanner. The gate opened automatically.

That’s when he noticed—

The Alpha had installed an accessibility ramp at the entrance.

Rolling up the smooth slope on his whirring electric wheelchair, Ren Zhong couldn’t believe how easy the ride was.

It was smoother than anything he’d experienced at the hospital.

Then the front door opened from inside. A stranger—a male Alpha—stood there.

Long hair, unshaven stubble, flashy earrings that could blind someone.

If Ren Zhong’s legs weren’t out of commission, he would’ve jumped up right then and decked this guy before dragging himself to Commander Chen for a brawl.

This is who they matched me with?! What kind of ridiculous freak show—

Captain Ren’s taste was very traditional military. Regardless of gender or secondary gender, short hair and a clean forehead were the gold standard. Long hair, tattoos, piercings—what the hell even was this?

“You must be Captain Ren?!”

The Alpha looked genuinely thrilled.

“It’s an honor! I saw your speech online and read about your heroic service. I never thought I’d get the chance to meet you—it’s… it’s such a pleasure.”

He extended a tattooed hand, offering a handshake—only to be met with Ren Zhong’s cold, expressionless rejection.

“Ah, my bad, I got so excited I forgot to introduce myself,” the Alpha said, giving a slight bow out of respect.
“I’m your house’s interior designer. My name’s Han. You can just call me Han.”

Ren Zhong slowly extended his hand and shook it—relieved.

Thank God. A designer.
That explained the getup.

“Mr. Zhang! Look who’s here!”

A tall, graceful figure emerged from the kitchen.

He was still wearing a warm-toned apron, oven mitts shaped like peaches on both hands, holding a baking tray that sent out waves of fragrant steam—sweet, rich scents of custard and butter.

“Captain Ren!”

The man’s eyes lit up. His expression was one of genuine joy. He set down the tray and mitts, pulled off the apron, and jogged over.

His eyes sparkled, and the faintest blush tinged his cheeks.

“I’m Zhang Qingyuan, your assigned match. Congratulations on your recovery and discharge.”

Then, as if suddenly remembering something, he exclaimed,

“Ah—wait!”

He turned and grabbed a beautifully arranged bouquet.

“I knew you were coming home today, but I wasn’t sure what time. I didn’t prepare properly—please forgive me.”

Flowers—check. Baked goods—check. Renovated house and garden—check…

This was not “unprepared.”

Ren Zhong took the bouquet with mild disbelief and looked up at the man who was now legally his husband.

Aside from the height, this guy… looked and sounded just like an Omega.

Pretty. Extremely pretty.

Ren Zhong didn’t have the vocabulary to wax poetic, but he wasn’t blind—he knew this face was refined and striking. Even tossed into a crowd of celebrities, Zhang Qingyuan would still shine the brightest.

Then he glanced at the designer again—who wore torn fishnet under a suit, no shirt underneath, exposing chest and collarbones…

Suddenly, Zhang Qingyuan looked a lot more agreeable.

“Let Mr. Han walk you through the accessibility features first,” Zhang Qingyuan said warmly. “Take a look around the new place. If anything needs to be adjusted, just let him know. I’ll have brunch ready shortly.”

Under normal circumstances, those words would come from the Omega “wife.”

But here, they flowed effortlessly from the Alpha “husband,” giving the whole scene a surreal, dreamlike quality.

And yet, looking at Zhang Qingyuan’s face…

It somehow didn’t feel out of place at all.

“Ah, right. I forgot to say—”

Zhang Qingyuan smiled, eyes glowing, his expression soft and radiant like a spring breeze.

“Welcome home.”