Marked by My Scummy Ex-Wife’s Boss (GL) - Chapter 17
After hanging up the call, Zhu Sui briefly explained the situation to Song Zhen.
Song Zhen frowned. “That’s impossible. The three-month mark is considered the safe period. How could she be showing signs of imbalance now?”
Without looking sideways, Zhu Sui pushed the speed to the limit. “My cousin has already miscarried twice. If she says she feels something’s wrong…”
Song Zhen understood immediately.
Pheromone imbalance is extremely painful—especially for a pregnant woman.
If this were a first-time mother, confusion might be understandable.
But someone who’s miscarried twice due to pheromone imbalance? That kind of mistake doesn’t happen.
Then something else occurred to her. “Wait. If she’s already miscarried twice due to pheromone imbalance, then logically…”
Logically, a third pregnancy would trigger habitual imbalance almost automatically.
“So how did your cousin make it past the first three months?” Song Zhen was puzzled.
Zhu Sui answered frankly, “I don’t know the full details, but the family said she went to Zone 3 and underwent a conditioning regimen developed by the Tong family.”
“Conditioning regimen?”
Song Zhen had never even heard of that term before.
A thought struck her—her expression darkened. “Then did your cousin also sign a related agreement?”
Zhu Sui nodded. “Yes, she did. Why?”
Song Zhen ran a hand down her face, realization dawning. “You’re not in research, so let me put it plainly—‘conditioning regimen’ is just a dressed-up phrase. Your cousin was likely part of Zone 3’s intermediate drug trials—a clinical volunteer.”
The trials were for treating pheromone imbalance.
“Zone 3 has been researching this for over a decade—they’re not amateurs. I need to see the agreement she signed. It should list potential side effects.”
“Okay.”
—
Since they were taking Zhu Yi to the Adrenaline Unit, the pregnant woman’s needs came first. Song Zhen called Zuo Tian, asking her to go there directly, in case she could help.
Rong Mo would head there once he was finished. Meanwhile, Zhu Sui called her uncle and aunt, then contacted Vice Director Rong. After explaining the situation, she asked him to notify Cheng Lang’s team to prepare.
Despite the urgency, Zhu Sui kept her head clear. She made the calls one by one, systematically arranging everything.
When they arrived at Zhu Yi’s home, both of them ran from the car.
The moment the door opened, Song Zhen instinctively covered her nose. The air was thick with pheromones.
Zhu Sui noticed and turned to speak, but Song Zhen waved her off. “I’m fine. Go check on your cousin. I’ll grab a mask.”
Once she had a mask from the housekeeper and entered the bedroom, they found a woman sobbing in Zhu Sui’s arms.
It could only be Zhu Yi.
“I was so careful…”
“I followed every instruction, I really did…”
“Why is this happening again? It’s been over three months…”
“Jie, calm down. I’m taking you to the Adrenaline Unit,” Zhu Sui soothed her.
But knowing what was coming, Zhu Yi sobbed uncontrollably. One hand clutched her belly while the other gripped Zhu Sui’s clothes. She kept shaking her head and muttering under her breath.
When she looked up and saw Song Zhen, she gave a tearful, helpless smile.
As a doctor, Song Zhen quickly approached and applied a sedative patch to Zhu Yi’s gland. Her expression turned grave as she confirmed the obvious signs of imbalance.
“She’s exhausted and weak. You’ll have to carry her to the car,” she told Zhu Sui, then turned to the housekeeper. “Grab a couple sets of clothes, and a shawl—”
But at the mention of clothes, Zhu Yi’s face went pale. “No, no! Don’t get the clothes, don’t… I…”
Both of her previous miscarriages had happened the same way—severe pain, rushed to the hospital, clothes packed for the aftermath. Then came the bleeding, the cleanup, the change into fresh clothes.
Zhu Yi remembered all too clearly the second time, when bl00d flowed down her legs. Two months in—the fetus already had shape. It even moved during ultrasounds…
“No… please… I can’t… not again…”
She clutched her stomach so tightly her knuckles turned white. Tears streamed down her face. She wanted to say, this time will be different, but even she couldn’t believe it.
Once an imbalance starts, it’s nearly impossible to stop—especially with someone of her rank.
Zhu Yi covered her face and broke down, shoulders shaking violently. Zhu Sui stood frozen for a moment.
Song Zhen understood, but her urgency only increased. “Ms. Zhu, please try to calm down…”
“She can’t keep going like this. The emotional volatility will only accelerate the imbalance.” Song Zhen turned toward Zhu Sui in alarm.
Zhu Sui paused, then made a firm decision. Her expression hardened with resolve. She grabbed Zhu Yi’s hand. “Jie, stop crying. You have to stop.”
Zhu Yi was too overwhelmed. Zhu Sui tried twice, but Zhu Yi just cried harder.
“Jie!” Zhu Sui suddenly shouted, voice firm and commanding.
Everyone in the room flinched.
Fixing her eyes on Zhu Yi, Zhu Sui said word by word, “You can’t cry anymore. If you keep going like this, the imbalance will kick in before we even reach the Unit. Do you want to lose this child?”
Zhu Yi flinched. “No, I…”
“Then stop crying. Be strong for your child.” Zhu Sui softened her tone. “I’ll take you to the Adrenaline Unit. The Z-Serum trials have produced intermediate stabilizers too. District 1’s research is just as good as District 3’s…”
Her voice turned gentle. “Trust me, okay? Let’s try again—one last time.”
Zhu Yi stared at her in a daze. Finally, she nodded through trembling lips. “Okay… I’ll go with you…”
Zhu Sui gave Song Zhen a glance. She lifted Zhu Yi into her arms. “I’ll carry her down.”
Song Zhen nodded. As soon as they left, she turned to the housekeeper. “Quick—get the clothes and a shawl. And the agreement she signed with District 3.”
In the car, Zhu Sui drove while Song Zhen read through the agreement. The medication section was redacted, but in a small corner, Song Zhen finally found a list of side effects.
One line stood out: Delayed relapse of pheromone imbalance.
She sighed.
So District 3 hadn’t treated the imbalance—they’d just suppressed it, buying time. If they could delay it until the sixth or seventh month, it might’ve worked. But a relapse at four months? That was fatal.
Song Zhen pressed her lips together.
As they neared the institute, she called Zuo Tian and asked her to prepare basic stabilizers.
When they arrived, Vice Director Rong and Cheng Lang were already waiting. Everything had been prepared.
Zhu Sui laid Zhu Yi on the bed. Cheng Lang began her exam. It would take time, so everyone silently stepped out to give space.
As they exited, Rong Mo and Zhu Yi’s parents arrived.
Song Zhen went to stand with Zuo Tian, watching out of the corner of her eye as Zhu Sui calmly answered questions, reassuring her worried family with steady, composed words.
Zuo Tian had been rushed over too. Song Zhen quickly filled her in.
Zuo Tian wasn’t clueless. The moment she heard “District 3 medication” and saw that side note, she gasped. “If they were just suppressing it, then…”
Song Zhen nodded. “Exactly. When imbalance finally hits, it’s worse.”
Zuo Tian fumed. “How could they dare use a drug like that?”
Song Zhen stayed calm. “We don’t know the exact formulation. And Zhu Yi signed the agreement willingly.”
To sign something like that meant she had no other options. It had always been a desperate gamble.
Zuo Tian fell silent, then stomped her foot hard.
Just then, the door creaked open. Everyone rushed over.
“Dr. Cheng, how is she?”
“Is treatment possible?”
Questions came all at once. Cheng Lang looked overwhelmed, forehead beaded with sweat.
Song Zhen noticed immediately. A cold chill ran down her spine.
Zhu Sui raised her hand. “Everyone, quiet. Let Dr. Cheng speak.”
She asked, “How is my cousin?”
Cheng Lang blinked. Her mind was spinning. Faced with so many senior officers, she swallowed hard and finally said, “I’m sorry…”
Rong Mo’s eyes turned red. “What do you mean, sorry?! Explain yourself!”
Cheng Lang’s hand shook as she clutched the report. “I…”
Before she could finish, Song Zhen snatched the report, scanned it, and said clearly:
“The imbalance has already begun—and she’s entered Phase Two.”
A heavy silence fell.
Song Zhen continued, “That means the pheromones have gone into violent overdrive. Her gland scans are bright red. Her partner’s pheromones, still lingering in her gland, are now clashing with her own.”
Rong Mo stammered, “But I haven’t—”
“I know what you mean. But once a mark is formed, it takes at least a year for the partner’s pheromones to fully metabolize. Even trace amounts can be dangerous right now.”
It could be fatal.
Rong Mo stumbled back.
Cheng Lang lowered her head. “I’m sorry… the imbalance is in the riot stage. If we try to intervene, we could destroy her gland. Standard protocol is to wait for the body to stabilize naturally…”
“And the baby?”
“If we can’t medicate her, what happens to the fetus?”
No one had to say it—the meaning was clear. Without intervention, the pregnancy was doomed.
Cheng Lang lowered her voice. “…I’m sorry for your loss.”
Silence gripped the hallway.
Song Zhen shook her head in disbelief. “Even if it’s risky, with her condition—you should at least try—”
Cheng Lang turned defensive. “How do I try?”
“There are safe protocols—”
“Her gland is hypersensitive right now. If we damage it, who takes responsibility?!”
Their voices rose in unison, both refusing to back down.
Song Zhen stared at Cheng Lang, reading the fear in her sweat-drenched face. She exhaled heavily, her disappointment evident.
Then she turned sharply to Vice Director Rong and declared:
“Vice Director Rong, I request permission to treat Ms. Zhu.”
“I’m Song Zhen, senior researcher. Formerly part of the Adrenaline Unit’s affiliated lab. In the last two years, I’ve helped over twenty pregnant patients with pheromone imbalance. Not one miscarriage to date.”
She straightened her back.
“She hasn’t reached the uncontrollable third stage yet. As long as there’s a chance—I want to try.”
Under the bright sunlight streaming through the glass, with Cheng Lang glaring in disbelief, Song Zhen stood firm.
“Please approve my request.”