Mistaken ‘O’ is a Crazy Gorgeous Boss - Chapter 17

The Qu family’s house was an old-style self-built property located on the outskirts of the county town. It had two and a half floors, nestled against the mountains and beside a lake, offering a quiet and serene environment.

Qu Zhen lived in the room on the far right of the second floor, which had excellent natural light and ventilation. In the evenings, she could watch the radiant glow of the sunset spread across the lake, its shimmering surface resembling a sea dotted with fragments of stars.

At this moment, the curtains were drawn, and the warmly decorated room was bathed in a soft, hazy light. Qu Zhen’s ears were flushed crimson from what she had seen on her phone screen. Her reactions were sluggish, her attention completely captivated by Shen Zhikou herself, to the point where she hadn’t even registered what Shen Zhikou had said.

Back at Xinyu Garden, Qu Zhen had seen Shen Zhikou wearing a delicate black slip dress, looking utterly captivating. At that time, her mind had been clear and focused, and she had only thought that Shen Zhikou resembled a budding champagne rose.

But now, even though Shen Zhikou was only half-undone, with her inner slip still modestly covering her, Qu Zhen felt as if her entire body were on fire. The words “Attorney Xiao Zhen” echoed repeatedly in her ears.

“What’s wrong?” Shen Zhikou’s eyes still held a trace of amusement. “Does Attorney Xiao Zhen want to have dinner?”

Pulled back to reality by the omega’s voice, Qu Zhen, her face as red as the lingering hues of sunset, stammered, “No, Sister. Sorry, I was a bit distracted just now. Could you repeat the question?”

As the white shirt was completely removed, the impeccably dressed omega in the video began to articulate the doubts lingering in her heart.

Hearing this, Qu Zhen explained based on her thoughts while drafting the contract: “Because Sister’s estrus cycle and my estimated rut period don’t overlap, what I meant by ‘necessary’ refers to situations where only Sister’s help… can resolve the issue. ‘Non-necessary’ refers to when I’m in my rut, but if Sister happens to be on a business trip or busy with work, then I’ll manage on my own with suppressants and won’t trouble Sister to take time off to fulfill her obligations.”

Given their six-year age difference and Shen Zhikou’s current financial standing being far superior to hers, Qu Zhen always felt that she had already taken advantage in this marriage. Thus, in every other aspect, she constantly considered Shen Zhikou’s interests, yielding where she could and avoiding inconveniencing her whenever possible.

However, it was clear that Shen Zhikou did not share this perspective.

Her gaze was distant, as if looking directly at Qu Zhen through the screen, and she said word by word, “Nowadays, whether it’s an omega or an alpha, whether it’s an individual or a couple, taking leave during special periods is always approved. Attorney Xiao Zhen, you don’t need to worry about affecting my work. Moreover, I’ve said before that marriage is a matter for two people, and we should consider each other.”

“Abandoning you during such times, does Attorney Xiao Zhen want me to be tormented by my own conscience?”

Qu Zhen quickly shook her head, her eyes filled with embarrassment, but the invisible tail behind her wagged happily, like a little dog secretly delighted by the concern.

The sound of claws scratching at the door and a dog’s barking came from outside. Qu Zhen first asked Shen Zhikou to wait a moment before letting the dog in.

It was a Bernese Mountain Dog, about three months old, who affectionately pressed itself against Qu Zhen as soon as it saw her.

Qu Zhen adjusted the angle of her phone camera to show the dog to Shen Zhikou. “Sister, this is Luobo. He’s a puppy my mom is raising.”

The dog, who had been named Luobo (Carrot) because he loved stealing carrots when he was first brought home, lifted his head and barked in response to Qu Zhen, as if greeting the person on the other side of the video.

“Hello, Luobo.”

Qu Zhen held Luobo’s two little paws, whispering softly into its ear, then gently patted its small head. The puppy obediently trotted over to the desk to play with its ball.

Shen Zhikou asked curiously, “What did you say to the puppy?”

She found the scene of Qu Zhen and the puppy together utterly adorable, so she took six screenshots and saved them to her gallery, even backing them up as she uploaded them. All the while, the two adorable “puppies” in the screenshots remained completely unaware.

“I told Luobo that I’ll come visit it whenever I have time in the future, and when I do, it can’t sneak any more carrots.”

“It’s alright. I’ll buy it plenty of carrots when I go.”

Those beautiful, clear almond-shaped eyes sparkled with a smile as Qu Zhen grinned, her eyes curving like crescent moons. “Then I’ll tell Radish later. That news will be enough to keep it happy all night.”

“Mm.”

“Sister, does Article 3.7 of the agreement still need revisions?”

The omega, whose lips were as red as cherries even without makeup, also wished for some good news that would make her happy all night: “Yes, could Lawyer Xiao Zhen please amend it to state that Party A must also comply and fulfill the terms?”

And so, the one who could make wishes come true heard the voice of the one making the wish.

“Alright then.”

…

Qu Zhen stayed at home until Tuesday before taking the high-speed train back to Haicheng. Before she left, Qin Huan and Qu Han not only handed her the household register but also slipped her a bank card.

Qu Zhen tried to refuse, but Qin Huan insisted for a long time and even resorted to her ultimate tactic. Even though Qu Zhen knew her mom was pretending, she still couldn’t bear to see her cry.

She knew that since the family opened the flower shop, business had been quite good. They had even signed long-term contracts with many hotels in Mingqiu County, and the annual revenue was quite substantial.

After repeatedly failing to decline, Qu Zhen eventually accepted the bank card, along with numerous bags of local specialties and gifts the two had prepared for Shen Zhikou.

…

She arrived in Haicheng at 2 p.m., first returning to her apartment to clean up, then waiting until evening to go to the airport to pick up Shen Zhikou.

But just as she was about to book a ride at 6 p.m., Qu Zhen suddenly received a message from Shen Zhikou, informing her that due to sudden changes in her work schedule, she wouldn’t be returning until the next afternoon.

Qu Zhen, who had already ordered flowers, silently canceled the order after replying to the message.

[Okay, then rest well, Sister. I’ll pick you up at the airport tomorrow.]

[It’s going to get colder in Haicheng tomorrow, so remember to dress warmly. See you tomorrow!]

Perhaps because she was too busy with her business trip, their chat remained silent until 8 p.m., when Qu Zhen finally received a reply from Shen Zhikou.

[See you tomorrow.]

That night, Qu Zhen didn’t sleep well, and the next morning, she nearly overslept for her early class. Fortunately, Yang Shumeng and the others had saved her a seat. She forced herself to stay alert for forty minutes, then returned to her dorm after class to take a short nap. Along the way, Yang Shumeng, the campus forum enthusiast, chattered nonstop.

“Zhenzhen, did you know? Su Qi suddenly went abroad to study.”

Qu Zhen responded groggily, “No, I didn’t.”

“I heard she completed the procedures on Monday and left on Tuesday. Everyone thinks it’s really sudden, especially since we just saw her preparing for the campus competition on the forum not long ago. Plus, this timing doesn’t really align with the usual study abroad process.”

Yang Shumeng sighed, “Even though it’s not exactly a top-tier school, having money is great, you can do whatever you want and go wherever you please. I want to be rich too, to experience what it feels like to spend extravagantly. But even so, once I actually make it big, I’ll stick to my plan of first going back to my hometown to build roads and help everyone prosper!”

“That’s a wonderful goal,” Qu Zhen said lazily, yawning without paying much attention to Su Qi’s affairs. “You’re an idealistic and morally upright youth with all the right aspirations.”

“Ah, but right now, I’ve got nothing but empty pockets, a light breeze in my sleeves, and a belly full of breakfast!”

The three of them joked around the whole way back, and once they returned to the dorm, they each went about their own business. After waking up refreshed and full of energy, Qu Zhen ordered takeout with the other two and headed back to Xinyu Garden by three in the afternoon.

With plenty of time to spare, she even prepared dinner in advance and ordered flowers to welcome Shen Zhikou back and help her unwind.

However, this time, Shen Zhikou called to say that the project was still behind schedule and she might not make it back today, telling Qu Zhen not to wait up.

An obedient puppy is skilled at waiting and full of patience, especially since tomorrow was an important day that would shape their future. If they could both give the same answer, they would find themselves at the Civil Affairs Bureau on Friday morning.

So, even though Shen Zhikou said she might not make it back, Qu Zhen waited on the sofa until eleven o’clock.

By 11:30, with still no message, Qu Zhen’s tirelessly wagging tail finally stilled. Her ears drooped as she trudged to the bathroom to wash up, a faint tinge of disappointment lingering at the corners of her eyes and brows.

Twenty minutes later, Qu Zhen emerged damp and dejected, transforming from an eagerly waiting, happy puppy into a soggy, disheartened one.

She knew she shouldn’t feel this way, after all, work was undeniably important for adults, so she quickly adjusted her mindset, refusing to let such emotions take hold.

At 11:52, Qu Zhen glanced at her phone again, but the lock screen showed no new notifications.

She dried her hair with a blow dryer, her waist-length locks falling smoothly over her shoulders. After drinking a cup of warm water from the dispenser, she picked up her phone and slowly made her way toward the door.

The time displayed at the top right of her phone read 11:58.

She stood by the door, about to activate the sleep mode safety lock, and opened her chat with Shen Zhikou to send a message.

[Even if work is busy, make sure to rest early. See you tomorrow. Good night, sister.]

Just as the WeChat message was successfully sent and the time changed from 58 to 59, she heard a WeChat notification sound from the other side of the poorly soundproofed door.

At the same time, Qu Zhen’s heartbeat suddenly quickened, as if sensing something.

Before the familiar chime of the notification had even faded, the next moment, the doorbell, delayed for two days finally rang as promised, just before the fleeting time ran out.