Killing Marriage [ABO] - Chapter 6

 Chapter 6: Mother

It all started on the day Ren Zhong was discharged from the hospital.

The wind whistled past as Ren Zhong, with bandages wrapped around his feet, sped along in his electric wheelchair.

Shang Liwei had just completed his daily running goal by going back and forth between home and the hospital.

Ren Zhong began complaining about his “arranged, silent marriage,” and Shang Liwei also started venting about the higher-ups.

“The ‘Compulsory Marriage Matching Method’ is a step backward in history. Those people at the top will do anything to make the data look good. Do they really think that confining criminals at home to beat their wives and children will increase the birth rate and reduce the crime rate? What a ridiculous idea.”

Ren Zhong added, “If some people truly retaliate against society because they can’t get married and become unstable factors disturbing public order, shouldn’t those people be arrested, sentenced, or undergo labor reform?”

“Exactly,” Shang Liwei adjusted her sports headband to prevent sweat from running into her eyes.

Ren Zhong turned to her and asked, “Isn’t your institute researching gender science? Can’t you offer some more scientific advice to government policymakers?”

“Oh, the reality is very complex!” Shang Liwei was also helpless. “Some people throw money at scientists not to pursue truth, but to make scientists publish papers proving that their policies are the truth.”

Shang Liwei sighed, “Who, when they first started a project or an experiment, didn’t have lofty ideals of contributing to national and human scientific progress? In the end, they were all beaten into submission by society, looking like withered old folks.”

It wasn’t a workday, so Shang Liwei wanted some peace and quiet to enjoy her alone time, process her emotions, and relieve the accumulated stress in her heart.

Don’t let her carefree, happy-go-lucky demeanor fool you. Her former scientific dreams had blurred, twisted, and shattered into pieces amidst the sordid and unbearable realities. How could she not have pent-up frustration?

She had clearly thought of a way to change the world, achieving academic breakthroughs and accomplishments. But the world hadn’t improved one bit because of her efforts. Her research also faced funding issues and couldn’t continue.

She was an Alpha, not allowed to be vulnerable.

But she was also a woman, always the “lowest class” of the upper class.

Her mentor preferred to promote uneducated male Alphas rather than entrust her with important responsibilities.

Forget it, no more struggling, she’ll just lie flat.

She cycled along a tree-lined path, arriving at a comprehensive shopping mall. Today, she wanted to catch a comedy film with decent online reviews before it left theaters.

The first half of the movie was genuinely funny, but in the latter half, the tone abruptly shifted to heavy melodrama, almost forcing the audience to cry.

Honestly, she just wanted to watch a mindless comedy for a laugh, preferably to relieve life’s stress with a few hearty laughs. What had she done wrong? Why was this happening to her?

Shang Liwei left the cinema feeling even more dejected.

Just then, an elegant classical melody entered her ears.

Elegant it was, but the volume was a bit too loud, and the sound quality was somewhat poor.

She followed the sound, leaning against the mall’s circular railing and looking down to the lower floor.

On a stage on the floor below, a group of little girls in white tutu skirts were performing ballet.

The basement level of this mall was a children’s activity center, and there was a small stage specifically for the educational institutions located there to put on performances.

Shang Liwei thought: Nothing else to do, might as well watch the “ugly ducklings” of the country… seems alright?

The performance was a group number featuring all the students, dancing a very simple basic ballet combination; it wasn’t difficult.

However, the two girls leading the dance in the front row were very skilled. Their balance, arch of the foot, and strength were all good, perfectly aligning with ballet’s aesthetic of turnout, extension, and straight lines.

Especially the little lead dancer on the right, who was exceptionally beautiful.

She was a Disney princess come to life, with well-extended limbs and a hint of muscle, a slender neck paired with a delicate head, and an agile, graceful expression and demeanor that stood out significantly from the surrounding children.

This could no longer be classified as an ugly duckling; this child was already a little swan.

Shang Liwei leaned over the second-floor railing and watched the entire performance, including the “little swan’s” solo.

To be honest, the “little swan’s” skill level was good, but definitely not the best among the group of children. Yet, she appeared the most times and for the longest duration.

It couldn’t be helped; attractiveness was the hard currency that killed all humans.

After enjoying the adorable ballet performance, Shang Liwei walked to the mall’s food court and chose a charming and good-tasting restaurant.

As the food was served, Shang Liwei was about to dig in when her peripheral vision caught sight of the “little swan” and her family also entering the restaurant.

No, they probably weren’t “family.”

The little swan and the Omega woman holding her hand shared similar facial features; they were clearly mother and daughter, both beautiful women with a gentle and lovely aura.

But the man accompanying them was a completely different “style.”

Perhaps Nuwa was looking at Picasso’s great portrait works when she molded Beta men, which would explain why he looked so abstract.

The little swan wasn’t close to the man either, constantly sticking close to her mother, deliberately avoiding him.

When the Beta man opened his mouth, his raspy voice carried a heavy accent and was exceptionally loud. Everyone in the entire restaurant could hear every word.

“Mitong, how much money does it cost for a child to learn this? You’ve had your fun this time, now be good, don’t learn it anymore in the future.”

As he spoke, the man extended his hand, covered in hair with dirt under his fingernails, dabbed a bit of saliva on his lips, and then opened the menu.

This action disgusted Shang Liwei so much that she nearly vomited the rich soup in her mouth; her appetite was completely gone.

She could even vaguely smell a strange stench drifting from that direction, seemingly emanating from the man’s dirty leather jacket.

“Mitong, you ought to thank the matching system for letting you meet me. Your life finally has a direction from now on. With my good conditions, taking in a used goods like you, and even paying to raise someone else’s kid, is an act of generosity and kindness rarely seen.”

After speaking, the Beta man’s throat made a “cough-gurgle” sound, and he turned his head to spit a glob of phlegm onto the floor.

That sticky, old phlegm, blackened and yellowed from tobacco tar, landed on the ground with a “splat.”

Diners in the restaurant who witnessed this scene felt a wave of disgust.

“I’m laying it out here. You’re a second-married woman marrying up to me, a first-timer. Don’t even think about a single penny of bride price; it’s not that cheap. As for the dowry, not a single penny less, it has to be doubled…”

Shang Liwei’s observations were keen. From fragmented words, she pieced together the background of the little swan and her poor mother.

Although divorce had become extremely difficult due to numerous procedures, if an Alpha male initiated the divorce, the review process would not be too strict, and the procedures would be relatively smooth.

The Omega woman, referred to as “Mitong,” was clearly “abandoned” by her ex-husband, which led to her difficult life, raising her Beta daughter alone.

Since Omega males and females, and Beta females, were all “precious” reproductive resources, if they did not actively remarry within a year of divorce, they would be forcibly rematched again, to meet the next “one child every three years” requirement.

This vulgar, odd Beta man was probably her new match.

For ordinary Omegas in their first match, the system would still refer to pre-marital questionnaires to filter matching partners. However, for a second match after divorce, they almost invariably ended up with undesirable individuals whose poor conditions had delayed their previous matches.

Otherwise, the dignified mother and daughter wouldn’t have fallen to dealing with someone like this Beta man.

The man shouted loudly, “Waiter? Where are you! Waiter!”

Mitong was extremely embarrassed. She pressed the button on the table, softly signaling the man to stop, “Mr. Huang, pressing here will call a waiter.”

This action undoubtedly exposed the Beta man’s ignorance, deeply insulting his fragile ego.

He yelled, “I’m doing things, do I need you to point things out? You’re not even married yet, and you’re already trying to tell me what to do. Once you’re truly married, won’t you ride all over me!”

Mitong’s face turned pale.

Being publicly insulted like this, she felt an almost desperate shame and mortification.

Then, the Beta man’s anger shifted to the waiter.

“Why are you so slow? Are city people superior, looking down on us country folk? Didn’t they say the customer is God? Is this how you treat God? Get your manager over here!”

The waiter and the Beta man argued, their voices growing louder.

The little swan buried her head behind Mitong, her small body shrinking close to her mother, looking utterly pitiful.

To appease him, the restaurant manager could only offer the man a free meal and try his best to calm him down.

The Beta man remained smug and self-important, believing that getting a free big meal was a remarkable and capable feat, a manifestation of his masculine prowess.

“I need to go to the restroom,” Mitong said, her eyes red, and hurriedly left.

She was already embarrassed and didn’t want to be even more so.

Crying in front of her child, crying in public because of such a man… her dignity wouldn’t allow her to do it.

Shang Liwei had come out to clear her head, but encountering this scene left her in a terrible mood.

She had completely lost her appetite, but was reluctant to waste food, so she paid and bought a takeout box.

However, as she was packing up her leftovers, her peripheral vision caught sight of the little swan’s princess dress being enveloped by the black, smelly leather jacket.

Shang Liwei’s heart “thumped.”

First, she was deeply shocked, then she immediately realized what was happening.

That’s right, the little swan and the Beta man had no bl00d relation, so the man would have no psychological burden in doing something nefarious, would he?

The man used his body to pin the little swan between the wall and the sofa chair. His dirty hand first reached to touch her fair, clean face, then, that demonic claw extended under the little swan’s princess dress.

“Crack!”

Shang Liwei’s nerves tensed, and she instinctively crushed a takeout container.

The Beta man was startled by the sudden noise and paused his actions, but this slight disturbance couldn’t stop his malicious intent. He glanced around, then twisted his body, blocking others’ view, completely enveloping the little swan in his shadow.

Though furious, Shang Liwei didn’t know what to do.

She could save her for a moment, but not for a lifetime. If she intervened this time, what about later? The mother and daughter still had to live with this man!

As Shang Liwei hesitated…

“Thud!”

A loud thud broke the restaurant’s quiet.

“Ah!!!”

Accompanied by a shriek that was not human, the Beta man’s head was struck squarely by a long glass pitcher.

“You let go of my daughter!”

Mitong was back.

The Omega woman, who appeared gentle, delicate, and even timid, was wildly striking the man, who was a head taller than her, with a glass pitcher meant for drinks.

Yellow corn juice splashed from the pitcher, getting everywhere. It splattered on her disheveled curly hair, on her mint green dress, on her snow-white skin.

Mitong’s eyes were wide, filled with bloodshot fury, viciousness, anger, and frenzy.

This was the most primal strength a mother could unleash in desperation.

In that moment, she was utterly like a raging lioness, tigress, or wolf, baring ferocious fangs, tearing to shreds any enemy who plotted against her cub.

The Beta man was knocked unconscious, lying on the floor.

Mitong’s chest heaved violently. She came back to her senses as if from another world, hardly believing what she had done.

But, in the next second, she immediately took her daughter’s hand and pulled her close.

She was trembling like a leaf, all her strength and potential having erupted just moments ago. She could no longer stand and could only barely kneel on the ground. But the words she spoke, holding her daughter’s shoulders, were so resolute.

“Lili, no one can bully you. Whoever bullies you, you hit them back.”

The little swan glanced at the man on the ground and raised her foot.

She fiercely kicked the Beta man in the groin.

At this moment, the mall’s security personnel had arrived.

The hand that sought to subdue Mitong was intercepted by a female Alpha.

“Excuse me, please don’t be impulsive. Don’t mistake right from wrong.”

Shang Liwei stood in front of Mitong and the little swan.

She raised her phone, “I’ve already called the police. This man was harassing my fiancée and her child. We were acting in self-defense.”