Mistaken ‘O’ is a Crazy Gorgeous Boss - Chapter 18

Almost the moment the doorbell rang, Qu Zhen opened the door.

The north wind howled outside the corridor’s glass windows, but her anticipation was not in vain. The last trace of disappointment in her heart vanished the moment Shen Zhikou appeared.

Standing outside the door was Shen Zhikou, who had been away for five days and now looked travel-worn. Her slender, delicate frame resembled a cluster of bougainvillea, her slightly curled hair tousled and falling over her chest, her flawless face half-hidden behind a scarf.

“Sorry, I’m back late.”

Qu Zhen’s face lit up with visible joy as she quickly took Shen Zhikou’s suitcase.

“Not at all! There’s no need to apologize, Sister.” Her drooping ears perked up. “Come inside quickly, it’s windy out.”

Once inside, Shen Zhikou removed her scarf and coat, hanging them in the entryway. Qu Zhen fetched a pair of slippers from the shoe cabinet, her bright almond-shaped eyes brimming with happiness.

“Sister, have you had dinner yet?”

Shen Zhikou: “Not yet. I rushed back, my colleagues are all staying until tomorrow to return to Haicheng.”

“Then sit for a while, and I’ll heat up some food for you right away.”

“Okay.”

The attentive Qu Zhen first poured Shen Zhikou a glass of warm water before bustling into the kitchen. Five minutes later, she rearranged the dishes on the dining table and sat across from Shen Zhikou, serving her rice.

“Still awake so late, is something on your mind?”

Qu Zhen answered candidly, “I was waiting for you.”

“Hmm. Zhenzhen waited for me.”

Just the way Shen Zhikou said her name made Qu Zhen blush. Though her mother and friends often called her that, hearing it from Shen Zhikou carried an indescribable difference, her cool voice laced with a lingering softness, like a few downy feathers brushing past.

Qu Zhen coughed lightly and changed the subject in a small voice. “Sister, I brought my household register from home.”

Without her coat, Shen Zhikou wore a white cropped sweater, the overly gentle color melting the frost in her eyes and revealing a hint of tenderness.

She rolled her sleeves up to her elbows, the white jade Buddhist bracelet on her wrist making the vermilion mole between her thumb and index finger stand out even more. Setting down her chopsticks, she lifted her gaze to meet Qu Zhen’s, her expression calm and distant.

“I rushed back to ask about this.”

Qu Zhen had always remembered Z’s advice, as an alpha, she should take the initiative to make her Omega feel more secure. She practiced this not only during comforting moments but in daily life as well.

“I also want to know your answer, Sister.” She suppressed her shyness. “Sister, it’s already the tenth day. The household register I brought is my answer.”

“My answer is also obvious.”

At these words, Qu Zhen’s heartbeat suddenly accelerated. Her hands, resting on her knees, clenched slightly, too awkward to know how to respond.

“Zhenzhen, I brought you a gift.” Shen Zhikou stood up and opened her suitcase, retrieving a sapphire-blue gift box from a compartment and handing it to Qu Zhen. “Open it.”

Under the warm-toned lighting, the left side of the velvet-lined box held two exquisitely designed diamond rings, while the right side displayed a dazzling necklace and bracelet. In her dazed surprise, Qu Zhen heard the Omega’s answer.

“Shen Zhikou wants to marry Qu Zhen.” She asked, “What do you think, my professional and responsible little lawyer?”

An unfamiliar emotion spread through Qu Zhen’s chest. After waiting two days without knowing when Shen Zhikou would return, she mustered the courage to do what she had most wanted since their reunion. And before acting, she was well aware that the effects of the temporary mark had already faded.

Her arms wrapped around Shen Zhikou ‘s slender waist, and she took a step forward to embrace her, her ears as red as a crimson moon.

This warm hug was enough to convey her stance. She answered firmly.

“Qu Zhen feels the same.”

“Qu Zhen wants to marry Shen Zhikou.”

…

The two of them arrived early at the civil affairs office the next morning to queue.

They happened to be the ninth couple registering that day. While inputting their information, Qu Zhen was so nervous she checked their details three times before confirming everything was correct and proceeding with Shen Zhikou to take their photo.

Against the backdrop, both wore white shirts. When the photographer asked them to move closer, Shen Zhikou leaned in and took Qu Zhen’s hand.

By the time the photo was taken, their palms were slightly damp. When Qu Zhen received their marriage certificate and stepped out of the office, she still hadn’t fully processed her emotions. Sitting in the car, she stared at it for a long time.

We’re married (っˋ-ˊc)
We’re really married (〃▽〃)
I really married Sister (≧︶≦)
She took a photo of the marriage certificate and sent it to her family group chat, wanting to share the good news with her mothers first.

Shen Zhikou, who had just been added to the group that morning, felt her phone vibrate repeatedly. The smile on her face lingered as she let her little alpha spread the joy.

“Sister, can I tell my shifu?”

“Shifu?”

“Yeah.” Qu Zhen explained, “I’ve loved archaeology since I was little. After my family’s incident forced me to switch to law, I struggled to adjust during my freshman year.”

“That’s when I met my shifu. We attended an online lecture on artifacts together, and the professor asked a really difficult question, out of forty people, only she answered correctly. After the lecture, she privately messaged me, asking me to explain my answer. I was so surprised. Shifu also studied archaeology in college, trained under prestigious mentors. She’s amazing. After her guidance and advice, I felt like I’d had an epiphany.”

“Even though she’s recuperating, she sends me a lot of fieldwork resources, all meaningful archaeological projects. Whenever I have time, I go. At first, shifu worried I lacked experience, so she introduced me to a very skilled team leader to guide me.” Qu Zhen blinked. “Sister, can I share this good news with her?”

Shen Zhikou said, “Of course. You can tell anyone.”

“Mm!”

Her last conversation with her shifu had been a month ago. Qu Zhen first sent a sticker, then asked about her shifu’s well-being, before finally sharing the good news.

The three exclamation marks at the end made it clear how genuinely happy she was.

“Where would you like to go?” Shen Zhikou asked. “I took time off, four days in total. After class on Friday, do you want to travel somewhere?”

“I’m fine with anything. Where would you like to go, Sister?”

“Have you been to Star Island?”

Star Island was one of the most famous tourist spots near Haicheng. Its unique terrain and beautiful scenery made it resemble a lone star floating on the ocean when viewed from above. In her sophomore year, Qu Zhen had planned to visit with Yang Shumeng and the others, but unforeseen circumstances had delayed the trip until now.

“Not yet.”

“Would you like to go?” Shen Zhikou said. “The scenery is quite nice.”

“Sure. Should we leave tomorrow morning?”

“Mm.”

Qu Zhen was as happy as a Samoyed, her smile refusing to fade. They went shopping, spent some time outside, and had lunch before returning home.

Shen Zhikou went to the master bedroom for a nap, while the still-energetic Qu Zhen put away their purchases. Only when she returned to the guest room did she suddenly realize something important they hadn’t discussed.

They were married now, would they still sleep in separate rooms? And tonight, they would…

Qu Zhen’s face gradually flushed. She buried her face in the pillow, her entire body radiating heat.

…

That evening, Qu Zhen received a wedding gift from her shifu. Since her shifu was recuperating, they had never met in person. All she knew was that her shifu also lived in Haicheng, was ten years older than her, and was a beta.

There were two packages: one contained jade, the other a bottle of wine called “Lovers’ Wine.”

After carefully storing the gifts and sending her shifu a message of gratitude and blessings, Qu Zhen uncorked the wine and poured it into a goblet, its rich aroma instantly filling the air.

Their candlelit dinner that night was prepared together. After laying out the tablecloth, setting out the steak, and lighting the candles, they sat across from each other, the soft lighting making the scene resemble a painting.

Qu Zhen, her starry almond eyes shining, raised her glass. “Sister, let’s make a toast. Please take care of me in the future too.”

“Mm.”

The wine in the goblet carried a sweet fruity fragrance. The clink of their glasses was crisp and clear. Qu Zhen, who had never drunk before and had no idea of her alcohol tolerance, took a small sip.

“Sister, do you want to watch a movie later?”

The living room had a projector. Shen Zhikou asked, “Sure. What would you like to watch?”

Both respected each other’s opinions and feelings. Qu Zhen propped her chin on her hand, staring unblinkingly at Shen Zhikou. “Whatever you want to watch. I want to watch whatever you like.”

Shen Zhikou thought for a moment. “How about an adventure movie?”

“Okay, I like fantasy adventure movies too.” Qu Zhen smiled happily, her dimples appearing. “What a coincidence, we share so many preferences.”

“Mm. What a coincidence.”

“Sister, did you know? When I was little, I always wanted to go to the moon to see if there really was a jade rabbit. My mom told me…”

Shen Zhikou watched her chattering little alpha for a moment, certain she was drunk. Just as she was about to speak, Qu Zhen suddenly raised her glass and drank half the wine in one go, too fast for Shen Zhikou to stop her.

Qu Zhen had no idea she was drunk, nor did she notice the sudden anomaly in her scent gland. Her face grew even redder. Seeing Shen Zhikou approach, she tilted her head up and asked,

“Sister, are you happy today?”

“Very happy.”

“But-” Qu Zhen bit her lip, hesitating. “But you didn’t quiz me after coming back.”

Shen Zhikou reached out to touch her forehead, coaxing, “Quiz you on what?”

“Before you left, you said you’d test me when you got back… that I should study hard.”

Darkness swirled in Shen Zhikou ‘s eyes. She had never imagined Qu Zhen would be so… honest, clingy, and adorable when drunk. Her fingertips trailed from Qu Zhen’s temple down her nose, brushing her cheek, dimple, and finally stopping at the mole on her face.

But suddenly, Shen Zhikou noticed a delicate hyacinth scent permeating the air. “Zhenzhen, your pheromones…”

The fragrance grew richer as Qu Zhen moved. She stood abruptly, burying her face in Shen Zhikou’s shoulder like a sulky puppy begging for affection, her voice muffled.

“I practiced really hard. I didn’t slack off at all.”

That evening, they had changed back into the white shirts they wore to register their marriage. In her pouting state, Qu Zhen accidentally loosened the second button of Shen Zhikou’s shirt, revealing her flawless skin beneath.

At the same time, the alpha pheromones in the room surged to a critical level, and Shen Zhikou’s own pheromones spilled out uncontrollably.

“Zhenzhen, your pseudo-rut-”

Drunk Qu Zhen had not only become clingier but also displayed a hint of assertiveness unlike her usual self. Yet this assertiveness was like a gentle lamb trying to attack with soft horns, full of spirit but lacking any real force.

Realizing her sister still hadn’t answered why she hadn’t quizzed her, Qu Zhen frowned and pressed a finger to Shen Zhikou’s lips, signaling not to change the subject.

“Sister, are you teasing a puppy?”

“No. Do you feel unwell anywhere?”

Qu Zhen rubbed her thumb over Shen Zhikou’s lips, muttering, “I’m not a puppy. It’s only polite to return the favor. If you won’t quiz me, then I’ll check if you studied properly.”

Their lips met briefly before Qu Zhen pulled away, then kissed the corner of Shen Zhikou’s mouth.

“Sweet…”

The scents of lily of the valley and hyacinth intertwined, the storm brewing over rainy Haicheng about to break.

Shen Zhikou, who had always been in control, faced this loss of order for the first time. Before she could speak, she heard a faint “wife,” followed by Qu Zhen gripping her hand and pulling her into an embrace, subjecting her to an impromptu examination.