Killing Marriage [ABO] - Chapter 9
 Chapter 9: The Virtuous Wife
The day of the virtuous wife, Alpha Zhang Qingyuan, began very early.
[3:00 AM]
A loud thud jolted Zhang Qingyuan awake from his dream. His heart rate soared to a terrifying speed, pounding, and the bl00d vessels in his brain throbbed along. His Alpha instinct made him quickly release pheromones for self-defense.
However, he didn’t sense any intruder’s pheromones in the air; he only felt Ren Zhong’s usual sandalwood scent, slightly stronger than normal, coming from the gym.
The gym… Could that person be secretly working out?
Zhang Qingyuan sighed, compelled to marvel inwardly at Captain Ren’s self-torturous discipline; it was truly frightening.
He pushed open the door, and in the stark white moonlight, he saw a trapped beast, unwilling to yield.
The beast’s back, bent from fatigue and injury, rose and fell defiantly. Tensed muscles resembled a layer of melting ice sculpture, their outlines faintly blurred and subdued, unlike the full and strong form that could explode with immense energy at any moment, as it once was.
The wheelchair had become that person’s tangible cage and shackles.
“Captain, is something wrong?” Zhang Qingyuan lowered his posture, sitting on a gym ball. A level or slightly lower gaze could minimize the other party’s defensiveness to the greatest extent.
He asked, “Captain, are you worried about something, or anxious about anything? Can you tell me?”
However, this calm gentleness seemed to cause Ren Zhong intense displeasure.
The stubborn and arrogant beast before him wrestled internally for a long time, finally uttering a dispirited remark.
“You’re an Alpha, how would you understand?” Ren Zhong slumped back against the chair. “How many times I’ve wished I wasn’t an Omega… If only I weren’t an Omega.”
He wouldn’t allow himself to appear vulnerable in front of an Alpha, so he turned his wheelchair towards the window, facing away from Zhang Qingyuan.
“If I weren’t an Omega, I wouldn’t be considered inherently belonging to the family, wouldn’t be seen as someone only capable of doing housework, having children, and having no social value.”
Zhang Qingyuan chewed on the phrase “no value,” and asked him, “Captain, do you think taking care of the family, that is, the things I’m doing now, is worthless?”
Ren Zhong’s back stiffened for a moment.
Clearly, he had only just realized that in their marriage, it was Zhang Qingyuan who was undertaking the task of “caring for the family.”
“Captain, you despise discrimination, and you dislike being limited in your career because of your Omega identity. But you inherently believe that ‘housework’ and ‘childcare’ are inferior, that things outside the home are more valuable and nobler. Isn’t that also a form of discrimination?”
Zhang Qingyuan did not shy away from meeting his gaze. There was no sharp hostility or resentment in his eyes, only a quiet observation as the other person fell into thought.
“Dear Captain, the nobility of your work lies in your ability to protect us who are beneath you, those who are not as valuable. If you truly look down on ‘the weak,’ why would you strive with all your might to protect them?”
He subtly pointed out the other’s self-contradiction, gently pricking the puffed-up Ren Zhong who had cornered himself.
“I know it has value.” Ren Zhong lifted his head. “If this were a proper cleaning, caregiving, or postpartum nurse job, the person doing the labor would receive compensation. It’s just that this value hasn’t been recognized or acknowledged.”
A deflated Ren Zhong thought for a while, his tense body gradually relaxing, sinking into the soft electric wheelchair.
“And I just don’t want to be perceived as… only having value in this aspect.”
Saying this, Ren Zhong lowered his head.
Zhang Qingyuan saw the four cowlicks on his head. Superstitious old people would always believe that such people were naturally rebellious.
But he knew that the person in front of him was just a wounded, gentle beast.
“Captain, it’s very late. Tomorrow… or rather, today, you’re going for rehabilitation. Before that, wouldn’t you consider getting a good night’s sleep to start your recovery in excellent spirits?”
He walked behind the wheelchair and pushed Ren Zhong back to the master bedroom door.
“Good night, Captain.”
The remaining tasks didn’t require his help, and Ren Zhong wouldn’t allow him to help.
Zhang Qingyuan returned to his own secondary bedroom and checked the time on his phone in the warm glow of the nightlight.
Good, he could still sleep for two more hours.
[6:30 AM]
Zhang Qingyuan turned off his alarm.
He walked into the bathroom, showered, shaved, blow-dried his hair, styled it, put on a pheromone blocker patch, applied face cream and sunscreen, completing the morning routine of a refined Alpha.
The kitchen downstairs awaited his awakening.
Donning durable dark clothes and tying an apron, he could then confidently maneuver between the stove and the refrigerator.
Today, his Captain was going for rehabilitation for the first time, and might need some encouragement.
So, he decided to put extra effort into breakfast.
[10:00 AM]
Zhang Qingyuan and Mitong arranged to go out shopping. The robot vacuum cleaner at home started on schedule.
They returned home with a car full of ingredients and quickly prepared lunch together to be delivered to Mili’s school.
“I’m really sorry,” Mitong said, a bit nervous, looking as if she was afraid of troubling others. “If Sister Liwei’s kitchen really couldn’t be used, I wouldn’t bother you like this.”
The research institute provided meals, and Shang Liwei was lazy. Her home didn’t even have a stove; the only thing that counted as a cooking utensil was a kettle, for boiling water for instant noodles, plus a pair of chopsticks, which was enough to meet all of Shang Liwei’s survival needs.
It was truly difficult for Mitong.
Making and delivering the meal to the elementary school was a bit tight on time, but it wasn’t a challenge for Mitong, who had seven years of experience as a homemaker.
She completed the meal preparation with an efficiency and quality that amazed Zhang Qingyuan, using two pots at once while still managing to chat with Zhang Qingyuan.
[2:00 PM]
Mitong asked Zhang Qingyuan for tips on making desserts. The two watched TV while kneading dough.
At this time, a dating reality show was playing on TV.
“I still remember when the nation’s first love got married, all the Alphas and Betas cried online. I can’t believe it’s been ten years, and the couple is still so sweet on the reality show. I can believe in marriage again.”
Mitong thought of her dismal first marriage and the Beta man she was matched with, and couldn’t help but feel envious.
But Zhang Qingyuan didn’t agree with her as he had before.
“Believing in marriage. Does that mean believing that marriage will bring happiness?” Zhang Qingyuan shook his head, kneading the cookie dough. “A happy marriage is just two inherently happy people who happened to get married. Even if they didn’t marry, they’d still be that way.”
He swiftly cut the dough into pieces. “What’s more ironic is that many originally happy people become unhappy precisely because of marriage. Like you.”
Mitong lowered her head, stirring the food in the pan, falling silent.
After a long while, she sighed softly, “But what can I do? Even after such a messy divorce, I still can’t avoid dealing with him. A child can’t be without a father, without paternal love…”
Zhang Qingyuan did not directly answer her. He simply switched the dating reality show to a news program.
“…Beta wife falls ill, Alpha husband claims he believed a folk remedy, used oleander to brew medicine, causing his wife’s death by poisoning. The man wept bitterly, regretting his actions…”
The man’s heart-wrenching cries came from the TV. He tearfully said he would have gone with his wife.
“However, just one month later, the man married a new Omega wife…”
Zhang Qingyuan said, as if casually, “Married again in just one month? That Omega is really bold, daring to marry a man who is clearly suspected of poisoning his ex-wife.”
This seemingly casual remark made Mitong freeze.
She had always believed that her ex-husband divorced her because she failed to save their second child, who was a Beta. But on the very day he divorced her, he married an Omega male.
She also remembered that during the time before her miscarriage, her ex-husband had suddenly been very attentive in cooking for her. Although the taste was bitter, astringent, and a bit strange, she was still very touched…
These terrifying details, like a cold snake, crawled up her spine, sinking its venomous fangs into her brain.
Mitong’s legs went weak, and she swayed as if about to collapse, but Zhang Qingyuan caught her firmly.
“What’s wrong?” Zhang Qingyuan’s strong arm gently helped her sit down.
Mitong collected herself, saying “It’s nothing” several times. She feigned feeling unwell and hurried away from Captain Ren’s house in a panic.
What she didn’t know was that behind the French windows, the sheer curtain was gently pulled aside by an elegant, fair hand, and a pair of eyes silently watched her fleeing back.
Gazing at Mitong, who was rushing home outside the window, Zhang Qingyuan murmured, “I hope Ms. Mi understands that a bottle of medicine only expires once, but a person can disappoint you countless times.”
His phone rang, and he calmly answered it.
“Hello, that news footage should be effective. I hope it influences Shang Liwei somewhat.”
Saying this, he walked to the window.
“Marriage partner? Yes, I really need to thank him. With a military marriage background, although there are many restrictions, it’s ultimately beneficial for our actions.”
“However, he’s still in rehabilitation and will be back in about an hour. He won’t let me pick him up or drop him off; he prefers to drive his electric wheelchair himself.”
“I also hope Captain Ren will trust me soon. We don’t have any malicious intentions anyway, and essentially, this is beneficial for him… He’ll join us someday, but not now.”
A virtuous wife?
That’s not necessarily true.