Marked by My Scummy Ex-Wife’s Boss (GL) - Chapter 33.2
She rubbed her nose awkwardly, a bit flustered. But instead of apologizing, she blurted out a suggestion: “Then… how about we plan some activities for just the two of us?”
She paused, then asked, “What do you like—movies, shopping, or…?”
Zhu Sui tossed the ball back effortlessly. “I’m good with anything. You just make the plan and let me know. I’m looking forward to it.”
“……”
Got it. Song Zhen understood now.
That afternoon, she didn’t dare go back to her research materials. Instead, she chatted with Zhu Sui for a while, then took a nap. Around five or six, Zhu Sui gently woke her so she could go swap shifts with Zuo
Tian, who had been on duty all day.
After explaining Mrs. Brown’s condition, Zuo Tian suddenly remembered something and handed her two movie tickets.
“Hey, Mrs. Brown’s treatment went well yesterday, so HR handed out some perks today. Everyone got a towel gift box, and a few of us got extra movie tickets. I’ve already seen this one—do you want them?”
Thinking of Song Zhen’s recent divorce from Cheng Lang, Zuo Tian hesitated. She was trying to subtly encourage her to move on, maybe even consider dating again—without sounding too blunt.
Before she could figure out the wording, Song Zhen had already taken the tickets.
“Oh, I’ve heard of this one. It’s super popular right now—really high ratings online.” She waved the tickets and smiled. “I was just wondering how to kill time. Thanks!”
Whoa. Something going on?
The handover was rushed, so Zuo Tian didn’t get to ask. Once she left Adrenalin Division, though, she felt glad she hadn’t. After everything that had happened, she knew Song Zhen and Cheng Lang were done for good. If Song Zhen was finally moving on, that could only be a good thing.
After all, back at the military medical university, Song Zhen had plenty of admirers. Finding someone new wouldn’t be hard—it just depended on whether she could let go.
And if she could… that was the best possible outcome.
With that thought, Zuo Tian left in a light mood.
—
After pulling an all-nighter at Adrenalin Division, Cheng Lang went straight home and collapsed into bed after her shift change with Zuo Tian.
She slept deeply—so deeply she didn’t even know when the dream started.
It was as if she had returned to her first year abroad.
Around the New Year, after discussions at the research institute, it became clear they wouldn’t be able to return home that year. The progress of their project and issues with equipment rental meant they had to stay. The institute agreed to let them have the holiday abroad and promised to add those vacation days to their annual leave once they were back in China.
It was a decent arrangement—but it couldn’t make up for the homesickness.
And when Cheng Lang learned that Song Zhen wouldn’t be visiting her overseas due to project delays, her mood took a turn for the worse.
What made it worse was that Song Zhen was so busy, she didn’t even have time to call and smooth things over.
Cheng Lang held onto that frustration through the New Year, and just after, the research team from District Three arrived.
They were using similar equipment, stationed nearby—not next door, but close enough.
After they arrived, the District Three group invited them to dinner. The atmosphere was oddly tense, like everyone had some unspoken understanding. Cheng Lang planned to show up, be polite, and leave.
But unexpectedly, she ended up having an engaging conversation with one of the women.
They talked science. The woman kept up with her logic and even offered insights that surprised Cheng Lang. She seemed truly gifted.
Before they parted, they exchanged names.
That was when Cheng Lang found out—she had been speaking to none other than the one person she was most wary of from the Tong family: Tong Xianglu.
“It was such a pleasure chatting, Dr. Cheng. Let’s meet again sometime~”
The woman had clearly known who she was from the start. As she walked away, she threw Cheng Lang a wink. And as she passed, Cheng Lang caught the faint, deliberately released scent of an omega’s pheromones—light, alluring, like sweet strawberries.
Later, someone told her: when an omega deliberately releases pheromones around an alpha, it’s no different from… flirting.
—
Cheng Lang jolted awake, soaked in sweat.
She sat there holding her head for a long time, then checked her phone. She’d woken up before her alarm.
Shaking off the memory of something she deeply regretted, she got up and began to wash.
After getting ready, she drove to the research institute. This time, it was Song Zhen’s turn to hand off to her.
Just before she entered the ward, the door opened—and Zhu Sui stepped out.
Cheng Lang froze, instantly remembering their interaction the other night. She stiffened.
Zhu Sui, however, was perfectly calm and greeted her with a polite smile. “Dr. Cheng.”
Once Zhu Sui left, Cheng Lang entered the ward. Song Zhen, who had been on night duty, was yawning.
“You and Chief Zhu seem to be getting close,” Cheng Lang said pointedly.
She said it quickly, and in a low voice. Song Zhen looked confused, as if she hadn’t heard her clearly, and simply greeted her as usual. “You’re here.”
Then she stood up, picked up her notebook, and headed toward Adrenalin Division with Cheng Lang.
Once inside the lab, Song Zhen handed her the notebook. Cheng Lang suddenly said, “Let’s talk.”
Song Zhen blinked in surprise, ran a hand through her hair, and flipped through the notes. “You mean Mrs. Brown? Nothing unusual. The detailed data’s all recorded. My brain’s not great after an all-nighter, but if you’ve got questions, we can go over them—case by case?”
Realizing Song Zhen had misunderstood, Cheng Lang let out a bitter smile. “I don’t mean that…”
She paused, then looked serious. “I meant us. Let’s talk.”
Song Zhen froze, then looked up.
Cheng Lang confirmed her assumption. “Yes, not work. I mean emotionally. It’s been a while since I came back—shouldn’t we have an honest talk?”
She hesitated a moment, then gave a sad smile.
“Aren’t you even a little curious… about what happened to me while I was abroad?”