Mistaken ‘O’ is a Crazy Gorgeous Boss - Chapter 16

The entryway was cramped and narrow. After saying those words, Shen Zhikou didn’t wait for an answer and pushed the door open to leave, leaving Qu Zhen standing stiffly alone in place.

The faint scent of lily of the valley still lingered in the air. Qu Zhen, as clueless as a silly goose, couldn’t wrap her head around it, her mind entirely preoccupied with why Shen Zhikou had suddenly kissed her.

She reached out and touched the spot on her dimple where Shen Zhikou had kissed her. Her fingertips tingled and itched, as if scorched by that faint, elusive warmth.

“Why?”

Her gaze was blank until she caught sight of the roses and irises blooming in the vase, and then it suddenly dawned on her.

Could it be that sitting on her lap like last night wasn’t enough to fully achieve the goal, and it needed to be combined with the method just now?

The more Qu Zhen thought about it, the more plausible it seemed, and she became increasingly convinced that her reasoning was correct.

Then she really needed to study hard, she thought firmly. At the very least, she had to master this method before next Tuesday, while also speeding up her progress on other goals.

After finishing her thoughts, Qu Zhen patted her rosy cheeks, forcing her wildly thumping heart to stop dwelling on that kiss.

She walked over to the dining table, lifted the pale-colored food cover, and saw that breakfast consisted of custard buns, sweet potato and scallion pancakes, a still-steaming bowl of tomato and fried egg noodle soup, and a glass of milk.

Under the noodle bowl was a light green sticky note.

The egg is a bit burnt, sorry. After differentiation, you need to keep up with your nutrition, but if it doesn’t taste good, don’t force yourself to eat it. The rest should be to your liking. Remember to register your access permissions before you leave. See you next Tuesday.

Shen Zhikou’s handwriting flowed like drifting clouds, elegant and graceful, with every stroke perfectly beautiful.

After reading it, Qu Zhen didn’t throw the note into the trash. Instead, she opened her backpack and tucked it inside the archaeology journal she had been frequently reading lately. She didn’t know why she was doing this, only that in this moment, it felt right.

The other two items were frozen convenience foods. Qu Zhen’s first bite was the egg Shen Zhikou had fried, a golden oval shape, with the white edges slightly burnt and crispy, but it still tasted pretty good.

She finished the entire bowl of noodles without leaving a single bite, then ate one bun and a mini scallion pancake before feeling full.

After differentiation, her appetite had indeed increased a lot. During her check-up, the doctor had reminded her to keep up with her nutrition. Being very health-conscious, Qu Zhen naturally didn’t dare to slack off. She had been eating until full at every meal these past few days, but when she weighed herself back at the dorm, she hadn’t gained a single pound.

After packing her things and registering her access permissions on the door lock, Qu Zhen closed the door and left the apartment.

…

After finishing her first class at school, Qu Zhen followed Yang Shumeng and Zhou Yun back to the dorm.

She had booked a high-speed train ticket for 12:30 p.m. It only took half an hour to get from the school to the North Railway Station by subway, so she had plenty of time to spare.

When she entered and saw the gift bag on the table, Qu Zhen asked in confusion, “Sis Yun, did you guys put this here?”

Zhou Yun hadn’t been in the dorm last night. She made a surprised sound and said, “No, I don’t know either.”

“Oh, right! Su Qi had someone deliver this last night. The person said you could do whatever you wanted with it. It was already 11:30 p.m., and I figured you were probably asleep, so I thought I’d tell you during class this morning.” Yang Shumeng scratched her head. “Sorry, Zhenzhen. I was so tired this morning I forgot to mention it.”

“It’s fine.”

Qu Zhen stepped forward and opened the gift bag, taking out the white gift box inside. Nestled in the velvet box was a blue-and-white checkered wool scarf.

Qu Zhen, who had frugal spending habits, knew nothing about high-end luxury brands. After just a glance, she closed the box and placed it back into the bag, setting it on the floor.

“An Eous scarf? Is Su Qi… trying to win you back?” Yang Shumeng wondered aloud. “What is she thinking? During the two months you two dated, she only gave you a 15-yuan mug, and she even cheated on you. But after breaking up, she sends someone to deliver a 7,000-yuan scarf? Is there something wrong with her thought process?”

Qu Zhen didn’t understand Su Qi’s intentions either. At that point, their conversation had reached a dead end, and things had ended on a rather unpleasant note. She had already erased all traces of their relationship from her heart, blocked all of Su Qi’s contact information, and even gifted the only present she’d received, the mug, to the diligent dormitory auntie, not wanting it to go to waste.

She couldn’t fathom what this new gesture meant.

Zhou Yun, the oldest among the four roommates, carefully reminded her, “Xiao Zhen, there seems to be something else in the gift bag.”

Instead of taking the gift box out again, Qu Zhen felt around inside the bag until her fingers brushed against the bottom, where she discovered a white postcard with a picturesque, oil painting-like design printed on the back.

Baby, can you take me out of your WeChat blacklist?

“Baby???” Yang Shumeng looked horrified. “Did Su Qi drink two big buckets of rapeseed oil? Ugh, this is so cringey.”

Not only did it make Yang Shumeng cringe, but even Zhou Yun turned away, taking a sip of milk tea to wash down the awkwardness.

Seeing this term of endearment for the first time, Qu Zhen furrowed her delicate brows. Usually the most patient and even-tempered, she was unusually irritated and simply tossed the postcard into the trash, not wanting to waste any more time on the matter.

Seeing her action, her two roommates pretty much understood how Qu Zhen felt.

“Zhenzhen, what are you going to do with the scarf then? The person who delivered it emphasized that even if you return it, Su Qi won’t take it back, she might even send you something else,” Yang Shumeng said indignantly. “How shameless!”

“There’s a donation box for used items downstairs. I’ll take it down when I head to the high-speed rail station later.”

Every graduation season, a lot of old clothes are discarded. To avoid waste, the school set up donation boxes in every dormitory area, periodically donating the items to children or adults in remote, impoverished mountainous regions.

Zhou Yun gave a thumbs-up. “I support that!”

“Me too!” Yang Shumeng then asked, “By the way, how were your results from the hospital check-up last time?”

“S-grade.”

“Great, great!!! As long as you’re healthy and well, hehe.”

Zhou Yun nodded. “Right.”

Faced with her roommates’ unreserved support and concern, Qu Zhen felt a warmth in her heart. She had initially considered being open with them about her relationship with Shen Zhikou, but since things weren’t settled yet, she held back. She decided to wait until after they officially registered their marriage and find a suitable opportunity to tell them.

The three chatted a bit more about work. Before leaving the dorm at 11 a.m. Qu Zhen sent a WeChat message to Shen Zhikou.

[Big sister, I’m getting ready to go home. Send me a message when your flight lands, okay? [puppy holding a rose.jpg]]

Downstairs, in front of the donation box, the once elegantly packaged scarf had its tags removed and was slightly crumpled by the three of them before being stuffed into a red plastic bag.

Yang Shumeng, who had wide connections, once heard from the vice president of the student union that after collecting the donated items, some people would pick out things that were still relatively new for their own use.

They did this to prevent anyone with ill intentions from taking them.

The clear morning had turned windy again, and the straight ginkgo trees shed their leaves like fluttering yellow butterflies diving into flower beds.

Qu Zhen’s movements as she placed the scarf into the donation box were swift and resolute, without the slightest hesitation, and she didn’t even glance back once.

…

At three in the afternoon, the high-speed train arrived at Mingqiu South Station.

As she exited the station, Qu Zhen glanced at her phone, the chat window with Shen Zhikou remained silent. She snapped a photo of the station scenery and sent it over, letting her know she had arrived, then put her phone away and rode a shared e-bike to the flower shop.

At this hour, Qu Han and Qin Huan were still busy at the flower shop. When Qu Zhen arrived, the two were trimming and arranging bouquets amidst a vibrant sea of flowers.

Qin Huan was the first to spot Qu Zhen. A delighted smile spread across her face as she set down the tulip in her hand and embraced her daughter, whom she hadn’t seen in two weeks.

“Mom,” Qu Zhen hugged her back. “I’m back.”

“Zhenzhen, I made you some desserts,” Qin Huan said, releasing her and looking her over. “You seem a bit thinner, have you been eating properly? Huh, why are you wearing a scent-blocking patch?”

Qu Han also walked over. Though mother and daughter shared about forty percent resemblance in their facial features, their temperaments were entirely different.

“Mom, Mama, this is what I wanted to talk to you about.”

Not wanting to delay, Qu Zhen flipped the shop’s open sign to “Temporarily Closed,” then led them to the small backyard. Sitting beside them, she recounted everything that had happened over the past week in detail.

Qin Huan looked at Qu Han in astonishment, her delicate face resembling a hibiscus in full bloom in the yard.

“Secondary differentiation, temporary marking, marriage?” She blinked. “Qu Han, did I hear that right? We’re going to have a second daughter, huh.”

Qin Huan had always worried about Qu Zhen’s personality, fearing she might take a hard fall in matters of the heart. Never did she expect that in just two weeks, her daughter, so well-behaved she’d even close her eyes during kissing scenes in idol dramas would suddenly be on the verge of getting married.

Qu Han was equally stunned. “Huanhuan, you heard right.”

It took them a while to process the information. Once they had adjusted, Qin Huan carefully inquired about the physical aspects of the temporary marking and Shen Zhikou’s family background. When she heard Qu Zhen describe how Shen Zhikou had been independent from a young age, lost both parents one after another, and even faced debt collectors, her heart ached, and she frowned.

“Irresponsible parents don’t deserve to bring children into this world,” she said, holding Qu Zhen’s hand. “Koukou is so impressive, she’s financially independent and has bought a car and apartment in Haicheng at such a young age. If you’re both willing, of course we’ll agree to this marriage.”

Qin Huan nodded, and Qu Han had no objections either. Besides, her views on marriage were far more conservative than Qin Huan’s.

“Our savings are enough to get you a car and put a down payment on an apartment in Haicheng. Don’t take advantage of Xiao Shen, and remember to get a prenuptial property agreement,” Qu Han said.

“I know,” Qu Zhen shook her head. “We’ve already agreed to live in Xinyu Garden until I graduate. I won’t use the family’s money, you should keep your savings for yourselves.”

They insisted on buying a new home as a marital residence, but Qu Zhen managed to persuade them to accept her and Shen Zhikou’s arrangement.

Finally, Qin Huan asked, “Zhenzhen, do you have a photo of Koukou? Even though we can’t meet because of work schedules, I’d still like to see her.”

Qu Zhen had already anticipated this and asked Shen Zhikou for it last night. She pulled up the ID photo from her album. In the picture, Shen Zhikou looked more youthful than she did now, with features as delicate as a painting, like the ethereal and jade-like Moon Goddess Chang’e.

Qin Huan smiled gently. “Koukou is truly beautiful.”

Qu Zhen nodded, fully agreeing with her mother. Moreover, she felt that Shen Zhikou in person was far more beautiful than in the photo, this picture didn’t even capture a third of her charm.

Later that evening, after returning home, Qu Zhen received a video call invitation from Shen Zhikou. She went into her bedroom, leaned against the door, and accepted the call. The screen instantly displayed Shen Zhikou’s exquisitely beautiful face.

The background was clearly a hotel room. Shen Zhikou had taken off her black trench coat, revealing her slender neck and graceful curves.

“I just arrived a little while ago and will go for dinner soon,” she said as she unbuttoned her shirt, seemingly preparing to change clothes. “What about you?”

Qu Zhen wasn’t sure where to look. “Mom and I just got home. We’re about to make dinner.”

“Please send my regards to your mothers. I’ll visit them after I return from my business trip.”

“It’s alright, sister.”

“What did your mothers say?”

Qu Zhen clearly and systematically recounted her two mothers’ opinions. On the other end of the video, Shen Zhikou had already unbuttoned two shirt buttons, faintly revealing her delicate and graceful collarbones.

“Mm, thank your mothers for agreeing.” A smile shimmered in Shen Zhikou’s eyes. “I’ve looked over the prenuptial agreement you sent me. It’s basically fine, but there might be one point that needs revision.”

The contract Qu Zhen had drafted designated Shen Zhikou as Party A, who could make requests, and herself as Party B, responsible for fulfilling them. The 16-page agreement covered every aspect clearly.

She asked, “Sister, which point is it?”

The hotel room’s lighting added a touch of ambiguity to the atmosphere. Shen Zhikou was unbuttoning the fourth button of her shirt, revealing a black camisole underneath and skin as pale as ice and snow. Her gaze was captivating, shimmering like stars.

The contrast of black and white intertwined, as if a dark fire were burning across a vast snowy field, making Qu Zhen’s face flush and her ears burn.

“It’s Clause 3.7 under Party B’s obligations.” Her voice was as pleasing as the strumming of a zither. “You stated that Party B must meticulously care for and comfort Party A during her estrus period, unconditionally agreeing to all of Party A’s requests. However, during Party B’s susceptible period, Party A is not obligated to comply unless necessary.”

The honest and loyal puppy raised her paw in pledge. “Yes.”

Shen Zhikou said leisurely, “Then what distinguishes ‘necessary’ from ‘non-necessary,’ Attorney Xiao Zhen?”

As the shirt was half unbuttoned, the lily of the valley began to release its fragrance.

The exquisitely beautiful woman asked, “Could the professional Attorney Xiao Zhen explain this?”