Marked by My Scummy Ex-Wife’s Boss (GL) - Chapter 5

Song Zhen was caught in a sudden, overwhelming fever…

Her body felt strange… yet oddly, there was a cooling sensation that quenched the heat—a sensation she craved, one she wanted to draw closer to.

Then, a sudden prick at the back of her neck—pain accompanied by a strange, soothing relief…

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When Song Zhen woke up, a sharp stabbing pain surged through her head as she sat up.

After a moment, she opened her eyes, frowning.

What she saw was not familiar—in fact, it was entirely foreign.

Her mind was hazy, like the aftermath of a hangover.

Hangover…

Flashes of memory flickered—shots being poured, glasses clinking. One by one, the memories began to return.

Oh. Cheng Lang had cheated on her. She’d caught them in bed.

Then she’d gone to a bar, gotten drunk, and during the night… she’d differentiated—into…

“You’re awake?”

A cool, clear voice suddenly rang out. Startled, Song Zhen noticed someone sitting in the shadows beside the coffee table.

As the person spoke, she stood up—back straight, posture composed. With a flick of her long arm—

The curtains were drawn open, and daylight flooded in. Song Zhen instinctively raised a hand to shield her eyes.

Still dizzy—whether from the hangover or her differentiation—it took her a while to adjust.

When she finally lowered her hand, the woman had sat back down, legs crossed, chin resting on her right hand, her head tilted slightly as she watched Song Zhen.

Her pose appeared relaxed, but her straight back and precise posture revealed otherwise.

This was discipline—engraved deep in her bones.

Even in her languid ease, she never lost composure.

Of course. An S-class Alpha wouldn’t come from an ordinary background.

As Song Zhen looked over, the woman—Zhu Sui—spoke. “I have good news and bad news. The good: congratulations, you successfully differentiated into an S-class Omega.”

“As for the bad…” Her voice dropped. “It’s obvious. I marked you.”

“!” The moment she said it, Song Zhen finally felt the pain at the back of her neck and let out a sharp hiss.

“I told you last night not to regret it. But since it’s already happened…”

She paused, eyes meeting Song Zhen’s, and solemnly said, “I’ll take responsibility.”

Song Zhen froze. She opened her mouth to speak, but Zhu Sui’s brows dropped, and her whole demeanor darkened.

“Or are you saying you regret it and plan to report me?”

The sharp edge in her voice made Song Zhen uncomfortable.

In Huaguo, forcibly marking a differentiating Omega was a crime. If reported, an ordinary citizen could face over a year in prison; a military officer, at least two.

Realizing she was misunderstood, Song Zhen quickly waved her hands. “Of course not!”

“I was the one who insisted on not contacting the Association last night. I… I’d never report you!”

Seeing her sincerity, the tension in Zhu Sui’s face finally eased. Her furrowed brow relaxed.

After all, she’d gone through a lot to get Song Zhen out last night, and it had been Song Zhen who had thrown herself into her arms first.

If it had ended in betrayal, it would’ve left a bitter taste.

Thankfully, it hadn’t.

Song Zhen touched the back of her neck. “So last night… was it a temporary mark or…”

Zhu Sui raised a teasing brow. “You don’t remember?”

“…”

Seeing Song Zhen flush, Zhu Sui stopped teasing. “Just a temporary mark. We kissed. After I bit you, I snapped out of it.”

“But I wouldn’t mark you permanently.”

Seeing that Song Zhen didn’t understand, Zhu Sui added, “High-ranked Alphas can permanently mark lower-ranked Omegas with just a few encounters. But between equals, it takes ten or more times to complete a permanent bond.”

“And if the Alpha is two levels lower than the Omega, permanent marking isn’t even possible.”

“I—I remember now,” Song Zhen interrupted, flustered. “I studied that.”

Zhu Sui stared at her, clearly not believing a word of it.

But since the most pressing issue had been addressed, she dropped the topic.

She pulled some takeout breakfast from a paper bag on the table. “Since you’re awake, you should eat. Differentiation takes a toll on the body—you need to rehydrate and restore your energy.”

Song Zhen blinked. It had been years since anyone took care of her. It felt foreign.

Half an hour later, after finishing breakfast, she did feel much better.

Zhu Sui, despite her intimidating demeanor, was extremely meticulous—she even offered detailed advice.

“You differentiated late. Your susceptibility phase might last longer.”

“My pheromones can completely suppress yours for now, but temporary marks fade eventually. So, you should…”

She paused, then suddenly asked, “By the way, when do you plan to update your gender status?”

Song Zhen’s fingers clenched for a moment. “I have one thing to take care of first. After that, I will.”

Zhu Sui’s eyes locked on her. That familiar feeling returned—like she was being seen through completely.

Softly, she said, “I understand your concerns. Being labeled an Omega can bring trouble. But this is a society ruled by law now. If you’re worried about being harassed by Alphas, you can apply—”

“You misunderstand,” Song Zhen cut her off. “Actually… I’m already married.”

Zhu Sui’s expression didn’t change. She simply said, “Oh, to Cheng Lang, right?”

Song Zhen’s eyes widened in shock.

“But aren’t you planning to divorce? Even afterward, your identity as an Omega will still—”

“How do you know that?!” Song Zhen was truly stunned.

“Relax. You were drunk last night. Said a few things.”

Zhu Sui chuckled. “Aside from repeating Cheng Lang’s name over and over, you only said a few other things. But it was pretty obvious—I couldn’t not guess.”

“…”

Unbothered, Zhu Sui continued as if nothing happened, “You can apply for identity protection. The Association can help keep your gender hidden until you remarry.”

“Lastly, before I go—now that we’ve been through all this, aren’t you going to introduce yourself?”

Song Zhen tried hard to steady herself and exchanged names with Zhu Sui.

“Let’s swap numbers too. I marked you—if you need anything in the next few days, you can contact me.”

Song Zhen wanted to avoid any involvement with powerful families and was about to decline, but Zhu Sui added, “What if your pheromones go out of control and you need suppressants—or worse, my pheromones to stabilize?”

“…”

They exchanged numbers. Zhu Sui also asked to add her on WeChat.

This time, Song Zhen firmly refused. Zhu Sui didn’t push.

After searching through her military database, Zhu Sui raised her brows. “You’re twenty-four? You don’t look it. So technically… you’re my jiejie, huh?”

The way she said “jiejie” was oddly casual, even a little cheeky. It made Song Zhen’s scalp tingle.

“I’ve got things to do, so I’ll head out now. I ordered some essentials for you—they’ll be delivered soon. Make sure to answer the door. That’s pretty much it.”

Just as her hand touched the doorknob, Song Zhen suddenly asked, “Wait, your pheromone—what does it smell like?”

Zhu Sui paused, glanced sideways at her, and raised a brow.

Realizing that some military positions weren’t allowed to disclose such things, Song Zhen hurried to clarify, “If it’s classified, you don’t have to—”

“Mint,” Zhu Sui said calmly.

No wonder it felt cooling but wasn’t distinctly scented.

She added, “It’s confidential, yes—but you’re already affected, so you might as well know.”

Song Zhen’s eyes widened slightly. At the same time, Zhu Sui seemed to remember something. “Oh, right.”

“You asked me something last night—I’ll answer now. Objectively, pheromone resistance training is a Level 3 military course. Everyone in my unit passes. Without considering S-class Omegas, and assuming suppressors are used, most AO interactions are manageable.”

Facing away from her, Zhu Sui exhaled lightly.

“There are things you may never understand. But that doesn’t mean the problem lies with you.”

Then she left.
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It was a long while before Song Zhen remembered the question she had drunkenly asked:

“Is it true that Alphas can’t help but respond to Omegas instinctively?”

Thinking back to Zhu Sui’s answer, she fell silent.

After the discomfort passed, she realized—Zhu Sui had waited until the very end to respond. Likely to spare her embarrassment and protect her dignity.

Song Zhen covered her forehead with a hand. “Being taken care of by someone younger than me… twice in one day. This is ridiculous…”

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Just as Zhu Sui stepped out of the hotel, her phone rang.

She frowned and picked up.

“Suìsuì, Grandpa’s inviting the whole family over the day after tomorrow. You’ve skipped all the Omega blind dates he arranged. You have to show up this time—it’s a family gathering. At least pretend to be polite…”

At the same moment, Song Zhen’s phone rang too. It was Cheng Lang.

She was a little flustered when she answered—worried she might ask where she was, since she’d just differentiated…

But the moment she greeted her, she heard the mechanical announcement in the background.

“You’re at the airport?”

“Yeah,” Cheng Lang replied. “The research institute is sending me on a short assignment to the Third Military Region. Just wanted to let you know.”

So, they wouldn’t be seeing each other for a few days. Song Zhen quietly sighed in relief.

“I know you’re upset with me, but about last night… Zhenzhen, can we talk when I get back? Don’t be rash.”

“I’m being rash?” Song Zhen frowned.

Cheng Lang tried to soothe her. “Please, Zhenzhen, just wait until I’m back. I have to go through security now…”

It really sounded like she was the one being unreasonable.

Her heart sank. She didn’t waste words and got straight to the point. “I think you owe me an explanation. I don’t need a long one—just one sentence will do.”

There was a long pause.

“…I’m sorry. I was young and foolish. I thought Alphas could…”

Song Zhen cut her off, her voice full of bitter irony. “So, you’re saying—if I were an Omega, you wouldn’t have cheated?”

“Zhenzhen, there are no ‘what ifs’ in this world…”

She understood.

And she laughed bitterly. “So, the issue was never about gender.”

It was about her—about how blind she had been.

Taking a deep breath, for the first time in the past twelve hours, Song Zhen felt truly certain.

“I’m not making a scene.”

“Cheng Lang, let’s get a divorce.”