Marked by My Scummy Ex-Wife’s Boss (GL) - Chapter 30
After Song Zhen finished speaking, the conference room fell into complete silence.
A moment later, Director Zhu nodded.
“It’s an unorthodox strategy—but quite brilliant. Compared to shirking responsibility, I prefer an approach that still holds some humanity.”
But it wasn’t just human—it was downright vicious.
In China’s scientific community, it was a long-standing unspoken rule that research data—especially high-level national projects—must never be disclosed, nor should external parties inquire about classified materials. All projects carried strict security levels.
Song Zhen’s request for drug samples and detailed formulas was ostensibly to save Mrs. Brown…
But everyone could see she was poking District Three right in the heart.
Everyone knew that ever since District One’s “Z-serum” project had been greenlit, District Three had grown wary of their adrenaline division. Especially after failing to recruit Cheng Lang, they began to view
District One as their fiercest rival in the stabilizer race.
Whether Song Zhen’s approach was “humane” was up for debate.
But whether it felt satisfying?
Unanimous: Very.
Now, they had three options on the table.
Zhu Sui glanced at Song Zhen and smiled faintly, swallowing back her own radical idea. There was no need to bring it up now.
A vote was held. The Director made the final decision: they would proceed with Song Zhen’s plan.
Still, a few challenges remained. First: how could they ensure the diplomat would pressure District Three as they hoped? This wasn’t the U.S.—foreign diplomats tended to be cautious and rarely got involved in domestic political disputes. What if Mr. Brown didn’t deem his wife “worth it”?
“I can handle that,” Zhu Sui assured them.
The Director, likely already confident in her capabilities, didn’t object. The others, seeing this, felt reassured and agreed to let Zhu Sui handle all communication with Mr. Brown.
The second issue was timing. Mrs. Brown’s condition was critical. Even if everything moved quickly, it would take at least two or three days to negotiate with District Three. How could they ensure she wouldn’t deteriorate in the meantime?
Cheng Lang frowned.
“Without knowing her previous medications, we can’t administer anything new. But we can admit her today to the institute’s clinical research ward. The ward was built to ICU standards—we’ll monitor her 24/7. At the very least, we can respond instantly to any emergencies.”
Song Zhen stayed silent for a long time. Everyone eventually turned to look at her, just as she hesitantly spoke up.
“If it’s just about buying time or slightly easing her condition… I do have a folk remedy, but I…”
“Go on,” the Director prompted.
Song Zhen took a deep breath.
“I’d like to request access to the national reserve of the last remaining S-class Omega pheromones. I want to use them to create a traditional-style soothing agent.”
“This doesn’t count as medication. Everyone here knows that Omega pheromones are broadly compatible. Mrs. Brown is an A-class Omega, so… it’s worth a try, isn’t it?”
The Director came from a weapons development background and wasn’t familiar with this field, so he instinctively looked toward Vice Director Rong.
Rong slapped the table in approval.
“Yes! It’s worth trying! Professor Song, I must say—you’re excellent in your field!”
Song Zhen smiled sheepishly.
These pheromones had been stored for decades—there was no telling if they’d still be effective.
Truthfully, she had planned to use her own pheromones for the mixture. But going forward, every drug administered to Mrs. Brown would be meticulously documented. To give herself some plausible cover, she could only request this now—under the guise of needing “official” materials.
Everyone in the room was tense. Only Zhu Sui lowered her head and smiled.
Song Zhen noticed her reaction and immediately felt her face flush with heat.
Ugh. Getting caught mid-lie—this was mortifying.
With both major issues resolved, they moved on to discuss the details. The meeting dragged on for another two hours.
Since this was an issue affecting the Adrenaline Division, both Song Zhen and Cheng Lang, as team leaders, did most of the talking.
By the end of it, Song Zhen felt utterly drained.
As they walked out side by side, Zhu Sui noticed her exhaustion and said nothing, giving her space.
Back in the Adrenaline Division, everyone got back to work. One group was assigned to liaise with Mrs. Brown’s sister, while Zuo Tian took a team to prepare a temporary ward. Team One lacked experience treating pregnant patients, so responsibility ultimately fell to Team Two.
Still, the entire division was involved now. There was no more “Team One” or “Team Two.” Zuo Tian led the initial setup, and Cheng Lang joined later with more staff, leveraging their familiarity with the equipment layout to assist.
Once the Team Two office was empty, Zhu Sui finally turned to Song Zhen and asked,
“Are you going to extract your own pheromones again this time?”
Song Zhen blinked at her. Seeing the concern in Zhu Sui’s eyes, she unexpectedly felt a wave of warmth and shook her head.
“No need. Last time, I had them draw the maximum volume allowed. Zhu Yi only used a tiny amount—I stored the rest. We can just use that.”
So, she had prepared for a future crisis even then.
Zhu Sui nodded, and without hesitation, praised her:
“To be thinking that clearly in such a moment… you’re amazing, Jiejie.”
Song Zhen blushed at the compliment.
Zhu Sui added,
“Your plan may be unconventional, but it’s grounded in confidence in your own research. No one else could’ve proposed something like this.”
Suddenly, Song Zhen looked surprised.
“Wait, then why didn’t you say anything earlier?”
Zhu Sui raised her eyebrows.
Seeing her calm expression, Song Zhen’s suspicion grew. She was now almost certain.
“You do have another plan, don’t you? Be honest.”
At first, Zhu Sui just smiled. When Song Zhen repeated her question, she finally replied,
“A little one. But it’s even more unorthodox—and definitely not as good as yours. So… no need to bring it up.”
What Zhu Sui had in mind was simple:
If they couldn’t prove District Three’s guilt, then they could manufacture evidence.
Not forge it—just nudge the truth along. Have the woman in black make a call to the Tong family, record the call… Whether or not the military tribunal used it, it would be enough to sway public opinion.
But that wouldn’t save the pregnant woman. It was a superficial solution. The real issue was: how to treat her.
Song Zhen’s method, however unconventional, targeted the heart of the problem.
As Song Zhen sat at her desk, Zhu Sui stood beside her. She leaned down, placing her hand over Song Zhen’s, drawing them closer. So close that Song Zhen could clearly see Zhu Sui’s striking features—and the tiny mole near her own eye reflected in hers.
Zhu Sui spoke softly,
“In my eyes, you’ve always been amazing. Haven’t you noticed?”
The words were ambiguous, gently teasing. Song Zhen, mentally drained from the meeting, was slow to react.
The posture lingered. Song Zhen could even hear the soft jingle of the wind chime Zhu Sui had gifted her, hanging above.
She watched as Zhu Sui’s smile grew—clearly enjoying the flustered reaction.
“I—I…”
Ugh. And now she was stammering.
Then Zhu Sui leaned in again. Her soft, mid-length hair brushed lightly against Song Zhen’s cheek—ticklish.
Their eyes met. Zhu Sui’s voice was laced with laughter.
“Do you want me to give you a kiss as encouragement, jiejie?”
“N-No need!”
Zhu Sui wasn’t disappointed. Her long lashes dipped as she gave a more seductive look.
“Then… how about you give me a kiss? As a little good-luck charm before I go meet Mr. Brown?”
Song Zhen’s expression froze. If her inner turmoil had a visual form, it’d be a black-screen error message.
So in the end… we’re just circling around the word kiss, huh!?
And yet, Zhu Sui looked so smug. So pleased with herself.
And that made it even worse.
Knock knock—
A sudden knock startled Song Zhen. She froze, but Zhu Sui reacted faster, pulling away instantly.
Cheng Lang opened the door, her face tired. She looked at Song Zhen and said,
“Zuo Tian’s finished setting up the equipment. Do you want to come check if anything’s missing? Then we can talk about the duty schedule…”
She trailed off mid-sentence, her eyes landing squarely on Zhu Sui’s hand still resting on the back of Song Zhen’s.
The stare was far too direct, far too bare.
It was only then that Zhu Sui and Song Zhen belatedly realized the position they were in.
Zhu Sui slowly withdrew her hand, smiling faintly—offering no explanation.
Song Zhen didn’t know what to say either. The awkwardness settled like fog.
Cheng Lang’s gaze darted between them, expression mostly calm, but internally, her thoughts were in turmoil, crashing in waves.
After that, Zhu Sui left to meet Mr. Brown. Song Zhen prompted Cheng Lang to finish her sentence, then—giving her no chance to ask questions—headed directly to the ward. She did a full check, gave the go-ahead for the patient to be admitted, and then reconvened with the team to continue discussions on Mrs. Brown’s treatment plan.
At the Adrenaline Division of Research District One, their work split into two fronts.
Zhu Sui’s progress went smoothly. After the conversation, Mr. Brown agreed without hesitation to personally travel to District Three the following day to demand accountability. As department head, Zhu Sui naturally accompanied him.
As for Song Zhen’s side—it was going half-smooth, at best.
Her pheromones did have an effect on Mrs. Brown, but it was minimal—perhaps enough to buy a day or two, at most.
Barely enough time for Zhu Sui and Mr. Brown to return. Still, it was something.
What gave her a headache was the fact that Mrs. Brown’s condition was worse than they had anticipated.
Aside from the most basic universal stabilizers, Mrs. Brown showed allergic reactions to nearly every drug the Adrenaline Division currently had.
After two full days of consultations, they still couldn’t come up with a viable treatment plan.
Mrs. Brown’s case was simply too complicated.
At this point, the distinction between Team One and Team Two had all but disappeared. Everyone was working as one. Even Zuo Tian had stopped giving Cheng Lang the cold shoulder. They helped wherever they could, united in the desperate hope of getting through this crisis.
Once it became clear that no current drug would work, Song Zhen pulled out her stalled formula for a harmonizer compound and began studying it again—tweaking proportions, re-running simulations—hoping that maybe, just maybe, she could break through at this critical moment.
A breakthrough would be the best outcome.
But even if not, she hoped it might at least inspire a new approach to help save Mrs. Brown.
________________________________________
“You’ve gone mad, Tong Xianglu!”
Smack—
The slap was crisp and loud. Tong Xianglu’s head jerked to the side.
Even Tong Yun was stunned.
“M-Mom?!”
Tong Rou—their mother, and current head of the Tong family in District Three—snapped,
“What are you yelling for? Shut up!”
Tong Rou had always been a gentle speaker, soft and warm in tone.
Tong Yun couldn’t even remember the last time she’d seen her mother lose her temper. She stood frozen.
Tong Xianglu’s cheek flushed red from the slap. Tears welled up, her lips quivered in protest, but she knew the gravity of her mistake. Mr. Brown had personally come knocking. The entire Pregnancy Adrenaline
Institute had held a meeting about her…
She didn’t dare say a word. She just looked up at her mother with tear-filled eyes.
But Tong Rou was unmoved. Her voice sharp, she snapped:
“Look at what you’ve done. You think you didn’t deserve that slap?”
After a long pause, Tong Xianglu whispered through tears, “I did…”
Tong Rou scoffed.
“What were you thinking? When Mrs. Brown was three months along and you realized there was a problem with the drug, you should’ve stopped treatment immediately. You really thought you could cover this up?”
“You dragged it all the way to the fifth month! You think that’s impressive? Shall I applaud your ability to make a bad situation worse?!”
“If you were really capable, why not drag it to the seventh month too, huh?! Now it’s the most dangerous time, and you want to throw the mess to District One?”
“I swear… how did I raise such a brainless child?! Who did you think you could pin this on?!”
“Forget what District One’s going to do after this—do you really think signing an agreement means they can’t retaliate? Mrs. Brown went through the formal process to receive treatment in District Three. Everyone saw it. There are records, witnesses. You think that won’t come out?!”
“You’ve always had a good head for research, but clearly, I coddled you too much. You—!”
She swept her arm across the table, sending everything crashing to the floor. Glass ornaments shattered in a chaotic clatter. Tong Xianglu flinched, too scared to respond. Tong Yun looked even more shaken.
Tong Rou clutched the table for support, breathing heavily, face pale with rage.
After a long silence, Tong Xianglu still didn’t dare speak. Tong Yun finally sighed, then asked quietly,
“Mom… what do we do now?”
“What else can we do?” Tong Rou snapped.
“We accept their terms. Immediately. And we make amends.”
“Wait—what?!”
“Mom?!”
Both sisters were stunned.
But Tong Rou, focused and resolute, ignored both the one who had caused the problem and the one trying to cover it up.
“No room for debate. We won’t just agree to all of their conditions. As compensation for Mrs. Brown, I will suspend all my current projects and personally travel to District One to apologize. I’ll show our sincerity in person.”
She took a deep breath and closed her eyes.
“Not just the formula sheets for the faulty drug. We’ll also choose one of Xianglu’s three most successful experimental drugs. Deliver the compound and the complete documentation to them.”
Tong Xianglu was stunned. She didn’t even bother covering her face anymore.
“M-Mom! That’s my research! That’s everything I’ve worked for!”
Tong Rou’s tone was icy:
“Exactly. That’s why we’re giving it away.”
“You think a few spreadsheets will satisfy District One? You want a reconciliation? You have to give them something of real value.”
“And Mrs. Brown? You want to show we truly want to save her? Then when—tell me when—were you planning to make an actual sacrifice? When she’s dead? When the military tribunal sends you to prison?”
“This is final. Don’t argue. It’s not changing.”
“If you want to cry, go cry outside. You made the mess—you deal with the consequences!”
Tong Xianglu knew the decision was irreversible. She finally broke down, sobbing.
The slap hadn’t hurt. But surrendering her research—her days and nights of relentless effort—that broke her. She regretted everything.
Tong Yun was shaken too.
Part of her admired her mother’s decisiveness and clarity. She knew this was the best way forward.
There was no way District Three could take the blame. So the only option was…
Still, her heart ached. Research results were earned through real, grueling effort. Everyone in this field had stayed up late and pushed themselves to the brink. Now they had to just… hand it over.
She took a deep breath, listening to her sister cry, her own chest tight with emotion.
________________________________________
Two days later, holding the formula delivered by the Tong family—one of Tong Xianglu’s hard-earned compounds—Song Zhen examined it over and over.
Zhu Sui asked, “Is something wrong?”
Song Zhen blinked, not sensing anything amiss.
“Tong Xianglu’s a genius when it comes to research. This ratio, the way the components interact… it’s brilliant! A stroke of genius!”
She smacked her forehead, suddenly inspired.
“Of course! I can absolutely try this method!”