Marked by My Scummy Ex-Wife’s Boss (GL) - Chapter 6

When Zhu Sui stepped into the Zhujia compound, she heard bursts of laughter from inside. But as soon as she entered, the lively atmosphere came to an abrupt halt.

It was as if a spell had been cast. The guests in the living room, who had just been chatting and laughing moments before, all turned to stare at her in silence.

In stark contrast, Zhu Sui remained composed. She nodded politely from left to right, offering greetings.

“Uncle, Aunt.”

“Brother-in-law.”

“Dad, Mom… Qingshan’s here too.”

Her gaze finally landed on the seat of honor, and she respectfully greeted, “Grandpa.”

In Huaguo, each military region operated relatively independently. Within a military district, the highest-ranking positions were the Commander and the Political Commissar, who shared equal authority under a dual-leadership system.

Zhu Sui’s grandfather, Zhu Xiangdong, currently served as the Commander of the First Military Region.

Hearing her greeting, the old general gave a curt reply, “Hm. You’re back.”

Zhu Xiangdong had endured hardship in his youth, spending most of his life in battle. Decorated and seasoned, even now, with white hair and a commanding presence, just one look from him carried a tangible pressure.

Those few words from him, though simple, carried weight for everyone present.

Zhu Sui was an S-class Alpha. When she joined the military, her path had been carefully planned by the family. She hadn’t objected at the time, but soon after, she applied for an overseas post. By the time Zhu

Xiangdong was preparing to transfer personnel, he discovered that she had already been abroad for a week—and was livid.

Zhu Sui hadn’t returned home in two years, and that incident had never been addressed.

Still, that wasn’t even the worst of it. A week ago, she returned to Beijing. At twenty-two, she was of the age where, in their circle, most Alphas were already engaged if not married. Thinking she’d wasted two years,

Zhu Xiangdong arranged for her to meet several young Omegas from family friends.

Everything had been set—but Zhu Sui hadn’t shown up for a single meeting.

The old man had just calmed down over the earlier matter, and now she had gone and reignited his anger.

He spoke with layered meaning. Zhu Sui’s expression didn’t waver. “Yes, I’m back.”

Zhu Xiangdong glanced at her epaulettes. “Promoted to Major after two years abroad? I remember, Rong Mo was the same rank at your age.”

Rong Mo, her brother-in-law, had never left the First Military Region. Though it sounded like praise, the comparison carried a subtle dig—implying that even after two years overseas, she wasn’t any better than those who stayed behind.

Translated bluntly: “So you went abroad for two years and only came back with a major’s rank? Not much better than your cousins who stayed home.”

Zhu Sui glanced down at her shoulder insignia and calmly corrected, “I’ve actually been promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. I just haven’t had time to collect the new insignia yet.”

The room fell silent again—not out of doubt, but disbelief. She was simply too young.

To be a lieutenant colonel at her age, one would need to have earned a first-class merit.

Still, no one believed Zhu Sui would lie about something like this.

Her uncle and aunt looked at her with newfound admiration. The younger generation of the Zhu family was outstanding indeed.

The old man narrowed his eyes. “You earned a first-class merit?”

“Just a stroke of luck,” she said humbly.

But everyone in that room worked in the military. They knew there was no such thing as luck when it came to first-class merits.

Zhu Xiangdong’s temper, which had been on the verge of flaring, was instead disarmed. His gaze grew complicated. After a pause, he exhaled a heavy breath—and finally, a flicker of approval showed in his eyes.

“Not bad,” he said, nodding. A rare compliment.

Whatever her shortcomings at home, at least Zhu Sui hadn’t shamed the Zhu name outside. Very few in their circles could succeed on their own without leaning on family connections.

As the pillar of the next generation, she was proving herself.

And once praised, there was no room left to scold her. Zhu Xiangdong stood up and gestured. “Jianming, Zhu Sui, come with me to the study.”

Clearly, they were going to discuss military affairs.

As Zhu Sui followed her grandfather out, her aunt sighed, “Zhu Sui’s a good one.”

Her uncle chuckled. “She might be rebellious, but she’s still driven.”

His wife nodded, but quickly changed the subject with knowing tact.

No one knew what was discussed in the study, but when Zhu Xiangdong emerged again, his face was no longer so stern. He even chatted with Zhu Sui now and then about work.

Clearly, when it came to business, he was very satisfied with her.

That harmony continued until dinner—right up to when her father, Zhu Jianming, mentioned the Omega candidates she had snubbed.

“Zhu Sui,” he said, “you’re already twenty-two. Don’t you think it’s time to start planning for your future?”

Zhu Sui remained expressionless. “No rush.”

Jianming was dumbfounded. “What do you mean, no rush?”

With declining birth rates, most Alphas their age were already married—having children early while still healthy.

“Just what I said. Studies show Alphas retain reproductive function well into their thirties. The issue is with the Omegas.”

Jianming was speechless. “Are you saying you plan to wait until your thirties to find someone?”

Zhu Sui replied without pause, “Who knows? Depends on fate. Besides, there’s an old saying: a twenty-year-old Alpha likes twenty-year-old Omegas, and a thirty-year-old Alpha also likes twenty-year-old Omegas.

For all I know, my future partner hasn’t even presented yet.”

“…”

That shut the table up. Everyone could tell—she didn’t want to discuss this. She was just saying whatever.

Jianming slammed his chopsticks down. “Nonsense!”

But Zhu Sui was unfazed. She calmly tossed another grenade: “Besides, what if I’m like my brother—and fall for a Beta?”

No one expected her to bring up Zhunian.

The entire table fell silent.

Zhu Xiangdong snapped, “Enough!”

Zhu Sui still wore the same indifferent expression.

Sitting nearby was Rong Qingshan, Rong Mo’s younger brother and her childhood friend—who was now sweating bullets.

Zhu Sui’s older brother, Zhunian, had presented as an Alpha in his teens and was brilliant from a young age. He was expected to marry a well-matched Omega, like Rong Mo. But he had fallen for a Beta…

It had caused major conflict between him and their grandfather. Then, fate played its hand. He died in a car accident shortly after a fierce argument with Zhu Xiangdong.

Zhu Sui had witnessed the whole thing—from the fight, to the highway, to the crash. She’d been in the passenger seat. Seventeen years old and not yet presented.

Afterward, she needed psychological counseling to cope with her brother’s death.

People whispered cruel things—saying the family had “lost an Alpha and kept a Beta”—until she eventually presented as an Alpha the next year.

Still, something in her changed. Her later rebelliousness had roots the family understood, but rarely spoke of.

Zhunian’s name had become taboo, a silent wound in the Zhu household.

And now, Zhu Sui had brought it up so casually…

Rong Qingshan was drenched in cold sweat. The rest of the table froze.

Only Zhu Sui kept eating.

Zhu Xiangdong snapped, “If you don’t want to talk, fine. But stop talking nonsense! Is this how we raised you?”

Zhu Sui looked up, utterly candid. “I really don’t want to talk.”

“…”

“…”

The child had grown up—some things couldn’t be forced.

Zhu Xiangdong glared for a long moment, then, surprisingly, relented. “Fine. Shut up and eat.”

Rong Qingshan finally breathed again.

Zhu Sui’s expression never changed. No one could tell what she was thinking.

Jianming opened his mouth to speak, but her mother tugged at his sleeve. He said nothing in the end.

Her parents were weapons researchers. After having Zhu Sui, they spent years practically living in their lab. She had grown up tagging along behind Zhunian. Her bond with their housekeeper was stronger than with her own parents.

Dinner ended, and everyone began to go their separate ways.

Just before leaving, Zhu Xiangdong stopped her. He didn’t say much—just told her to attend Lao Fan’s grandson’s birthday next week. The boy was her age, an Alpha—typical socializing among elite families.

Since it wasn’t a matchmaking meeting with an Omega, Zhu Sui didn’t object.

…

Meanwhile, Song Zhen, who had unexpectedly presented as an Omega, spent two days in a hotel to safely ride out her differentiation. When she went to check out, she discovered Zhu Sui had already paid for her stay in advance.

For the third time, Song Zhen felt taken care of. She smiled helplessly and finally returned home.

But though the house was the same, everything inside her had changed.

The woman she saw in bed with Cheng Lang haunted her memory. Though it would’ve been easy to look up the woman’s identity from the mission records, Song Zhen hadn’t done it.

She just needed time. Time to process, to accept.

But reality has a way of outpacing fiction.

Song Zhen found out who she was from a news article.

Headline: [Dr. Cheng Represents District One in Friendly Research Exchange with District Three on Z-type Serum Development]

Cheng Lang was, of course, from the First Military Region’s Scientific Research Institute.

But the project she was leading wasn’t even originally hers.

The prestigious Tong family from District Three had proposed the core concept over a decade ago and had been developing it ever since—without producing concrete results.

So why was Cheng Lang’s research prioritized?

Partly because of the national birthrate crisis.

But mainly… because of speed.

In just two years, her team had caught up to the Tong family’s ten-year lead.

Faced with this comparison, it was no wonder the country favored Cheng Lang.

But…

Staring at her tablet, watching the two sides shake hands in polite diplomacy, Song Zhen could only bitterly laugh.

Because the woman Cheng Lang had cheated with—was none other than Tong Xianglu, the Tong family’s second daughter.

Their biggest competitor in the national birthrate research race.

How ironic.

Song Zhen rubbed her forehead. She could list a dozen reasons why Tong Xianglu might get close to Cheng Lang.

But the real problem was—Cheng Lang knew exactly who Tong Xianglu was, and still chose to get involved with her.

They’d grown up together. Cheng Lang wasn’t someone who couldn’t tell right from wrong. She wasn’t stupid.

Song Zhen covered her face. She didn’t want to think anymore.

Whatever Cheng Lang’s reasons, they couldn’t be as simple as what she’d claimed—that it was “just gender-based attraction.”

That excuse was ridiculous. Pathetic, even.

After two years apart, Cheng Lang had become a stranger.

Song Zhen stopped herself from calling. Sat on the couch in silence for a long time.

In the end, she chose to process the news alone.

…

After a week off work, Song Zhen returned—and immediately got assigned to field duty.

She didn’t mind. Getting out for some air sounded like a good idea.

Feeling a faint heat in her glands, she injected a suppressant just in case, then packed her equipment and left.

She was assigned to collect the pheromone sample of a newly differentiated Omega.

The address in the GPS pointed to a stand-alone villa.

The location tag noted: “Fan Residence.”

Clearly a prestigious family. Ordinary families didn’t produce so many AOs.

At that exact moment, Zhu Sui and Rong Qingshan arrived outside the same house.

Rong Qingshan raised an eyebrow. “Zhu Sui, you’ve been glued to your phone this whole ride. Waiting for someone’s message?”

“Have I?” Zhu Sui blinked.

“Don’t ‘have I’ me. You looked at it at least—”

Zhu Sui calmly tucked her phone away and said Qingshan must’ve been seeing things.

But inside, she was puzzled.

Judging by the time, the temporary mark should have worn off. After that, regular suppressants shouldn’t have worked on Song Zhen.

So why… hadn’t Song Zhen contacted her yet?