Mistaken ‘O’ is a Crazy Gorgeous Boss - Chapter 19.1

The flickering candlelight cast shifting shadows on the walls, blending into the darkness.

Qu Zhen, her rationality disrupted by alcohol, was currently embracing the slender Omega. Her arms around the Omega’s waist tightened continuously as her kisses trailed from the corner of her lips to the distinct jawline, finally landing on the jade-like right earlobe.

“Zhenzhen.” The warm touch spread to sensitive areas, causing Shen Zhikou’s breath to hitch slightly. “You’re drunk.”

“I’m not.”

Drunk people usually refuse to admit they’re intoxicated, and Qu Zhen was no exception. She loosened her hold slightly, her almond-shaped eyes misty with intoxication.

“I don’t drink, Sister. I’m not like Luobo, that little dog who loves sneaking carrots. I would never drink behind your back.” As she spoke, she even imitated Luobo with a playful “woof.” “But… puppies are cute. Sister, do you like puppies?”

A strange sensation coursed through Shen Zhikou’s body. She bit her lip lightly, refusing to answer the little drunkard’s question.

Unable to get an answer, Qu Zhen pouted and kissed the Omega’s ear again. “Sister is bad!”

At that moment, Shen Zhikou felt somewhat wronged. A blush spread across her peony-like face as she whispered, “How am I bad? Zhenzhen, you’re the one bullying me right now.”

“It’s not bullying,” Qu Zhen corrected her, feigning seriousness. “It’s an inspection.”

With that, she led Shen Zhikou to the sofa, sitting down first in the center of the soft cushion, her fair cheeks tinged with pink.

The fresh flowers in the diamond-shaped vase on the right had already withered, the icy blue rose petals fading into a dull hue, their curled edges pressed against the irises.

While Shen Zhikou was still puzzled, Qu Zhen, also wearing a white shirt with two buttons undone, grabbed her right wrist, her fingertips lightly brushing the string of white jade prayer beads.

“Sister, sit down.”

Suppressing the strange sensations, Shen Zhikou obediently sat beside her. But she had clearly misunderstood the little alpha’s intention, the moment she sat down, she was pulled into another position by a sudden force.

It was a completely different sensation.

Warmer than the sofa cushion, yet slightly firmer.

Those slender fingers, not particularly dexterous, were now stroking her right ear without pause, the exhaled warmth brushing against the gland on her neck, sending waves of tingling numbness.

In a daze, Shen Zhikou recalled the scene in the car that day, how she had slowly taken over the little alpha’s sensitive spots, watching her grow flustered, shy, and eventually yielding to the primal urges deep within her body.

But now, a week later, the tables had turned completely. The hunter who had once held the upper hand was now cornered and pinned down by the prey, who refused to let go of her nape until an even more intoxicating fragrance spilled forth.

“Sister,” Qu Zhen said solemnly, “this is where you sit.”

“Zhenzhen-”

“Shh.” Sensing the Omega’s indulgence, the little lamb grew even bolder. She pulled Shen Zhikou closer, kissing her between the brows. “The inspection is about to begin.”

The damp, fragmented kisses, like the lingering autumn rain outside, slowly soaked through the entire safe zone.

In her dazed state, Qu Zhen meticulously applied everything Shen Zhikou and “Z” had taught her, one by one.

She was a diligent student, well aware that practice was the sole criterion for testing truth. But when her lips met Shen Zhikou’s again, she blinked, clearly forgetting what came next.

The delicate Omega, as gentle as a lily of the valley, offered no resistance or perhaps it could be said she had never intended to resist, silently permitting and indulging all along.

The alpha, still inexperienced, continued her tentative exploration. She knew something was amiss, but she was patient. Since the Omega in her arms remained silent, she took her time experimenting.

“Sister.”

Qu Zhen’s patience wore thin, her tone laced with a hint of coquetry. “I can’t remember.”

The restraint loosened, allowing Shen Zhikou a moment to catch her breath. The burning sensation coursing through her body subsided slightly as she leaned into the alpha’s embrace, her peach-blossom eyes shimmering with emotion.

“What?”

The usually docile and gentle alpha, now with the room’s pheromones growing richer, bared her fangs like a restless young wolf, reckless yet tinged with a hint of grievance.

She kissed Shen Zhikou’s lips again, mumbling, “First inspection complete. Sister did very well, but I can’t remember what comes next.”

“Didn’t you say you’ve been studying hard and never slacked off?”

Qu Zhen’s eyes sparkled. “But back then, Sister only kissed my cheek. I listened to you, so I only learned that.”

Shen Zhikou curved her lips. “But someone claimed they’ve been diligently studying other comforting methods and deeper interactions, especially after drafting the prenuptial agreement.”

“Hmm.” Qu Zhen tilted her head in thought. “I’m not stupid, but those things require two people to learn together. I can’t do it alone.”

“Then why didn’t you tell me earlier?”

“Sister was too busy. I was afraid of disturbing your work.”

Shen Zhikou gazed at her intently. The person before her had flushed cheeks, slightly furrowed brows, and beautiful, lively almond eyes filled with confusion, grievance, and longing.

She raised her right hand, lightly touching the alpha’s dimple. “Do you really want to learn?”

Qu Zhen nodded. “Yes. Does Sister know how?”

“I don’t, so we’ll learn together.”

As soon as the words left her mouth, their roles reversed again. In the blink of an eye, Qu Zhen was pressed against the back of the sofa, the Omega in her arms shifting from sitting sideways to straddling her, her slender arched feet dangling on either side of Qu Zhen.

The dining table was covered with a white cloth, the cylindrical candle having burned out, leaving only a faint trace of lily fragrance lingering in the air.

Shen Zhikou suddenly straightened up, her hands moving from supporting either side of Qu Zhen’s neck to playing with the ends of her hair with her left hand while her right gently lifted her chin.

“Sister.”

“Hmm.”

As the pheromones grew stronger, Qu Zhen’s drunkenness seemed to fade slightly, though she was still far from sober. “How do we learn?”

“Zhenzhen, I’ll only teach you this once.”

“I’ll try my best to remember and study hard.”

Tonight’s autumn rain in Haicheng wasn’t the storm forecasted by the weather report but a gentle drizzle carrying the deep essence of autumn. The moon wasn’t hiding behind the clouds; the rain, bathed in its soft glow, left tender traces along the windowsill.

Unconsciously, in her dazed state, Qu Zhen, whose strict defenses had been breached, clenched her fists.

She closed her eyes, her thick lashes trembling incessantly, her breathing as fragmented as a soldier retreating from a breached stronghold. Despite her week of diligent study, she remained as pure as a blank sheet of paper. As her territory was explored deeper, the delicate fragrance of lily of the valley seeping in, she suddenly opened her eyes.

Similarly, Shen Zhikou, who was draped over her, wasn’t faring much better. After ending the kiss, she retreated to the other side, every movement exuding the scent of hyacinth.

Both were now imbued with each other’s fragrance, willingly letting their minds sink into the ocean, floating atop the waves.

Shen Zhikou pressed her lips together. “Zhenzhen, do you feel uncomfortable anywhere?”

“Hmm!” Qu Zhen nodded, then shook her head. “Not exactly uncomfortable, just… I still want…”

“Want what?”

The intoxicated Qu Zhen was unusually honest. “I still want to kiss Sister.”

Shen Zhikou paused. The alpha pheromones exchanged during their intimate kiss had made her feel slightly better.

Qu Zhen might not have realized it, but she was experiencing another pseudo-rut, her pheromones triggering Shen Zhikou’s condition, causing a delicate pink flush to spread across her cheeks and neck, like a plump, rosy peach.

But the sober Shen Zhikou was acutely aware of the situation. She had no resistance to Qu Zhen’s pheromones, the longer she stayed with her without relief, the more her physical pain intensified.

As the Omega lost herself in thought, Qu Zhen noticed something amiss. She widened her eyes, her drunkenness fading slightly as she asked worriedly, “Sister, what’s wrong?”

“Zhenzhen, my illness…”

Her voice trailed off as darkness suddenly enveloped the room. The bright space plunged into night in the blink of an eye. The sudden blackout and the burning sensation at her gland sobered Qu Zhen almost instantly. She reacted swiftly, instinctively reaching for her phone to illuminate the space.

A beam of light dispelled the darkness around the sofa. When Qu Zhen looked at Shen Zhikou again, she noticed her expression was clearly off.

Her lips were as pale as paper, her gaze vacant. Even when debt collectors had come knocking, Shen Zhikou had never looked like this.

Qu Zhen hurried to her side. “Sister, what’s wrong?”

Shen Zhikou stared in the direction of the light, snapping out of her daze only to suddenly embrace Qu Zhen, her body stiff as a board. No matter how Qu Zhen asked, she refused to speak, burying her face in the alpha’s shoulder, her breathing erratic.

Seeing this, Qu Zhen wrapped her in a more secure embrace, disregarding the discomfort at her own neck gland. She patted Shen Zhikou’s slender back gently, soothing her with soft words, reverting to her usual gentle, patient demeanor.

Shen Zhikou’s phone buzzed incessantly with notifications, likely messages from the residential group chat.

Haicheng had been raining for a week straight. The outdated electrical systems in the old neighborhood had likely malfunctioned, and the power wouldn’t be restored anytime soon.

The surroundings were silent. Now sober and not entirely blacked out, Qu Zhen belatedly began to feel embarrassed. Even if only fragments remained, she knew she had taken advantage of the Omega in her arms.

And… she had taken a lot of advantage!

While keeping an eye on Shen Zhikou, Qu Zhen mentally drafted an apology, though it was hard to focus with most of her attention devoted to the Omega, her worry nearly overflowing.

When she noticed Shen Zhikou’s body temperature rising rapidly, almost scalding to the touch, Qu Zhen asked in surprise, “Sister, did my pheromones trigger your heat?”

After a long silence, Shen Zhikou finally spoke, her voice hoarse. “Both. My illness flared up.”

This was the first time Shen Zhikou had voluntarily revealed a weakness. “Just now… I was afraid of the dark.”

After cramming knowledge about ABO dynamics and pheromone dysregulation syndrome, Qu Zhen knew only one solution for their current predicament.

She comforted her, “It’s okay. I’m scared of lots of things too. Sister has already overcome so much… you’re amazing.”

Shen Zhikou whispered, “I want to go back to the bedroom.”

Without questioning, Qu Zhen let Shen Zhikou hold the phone for light and carried her steadily toward the master bedroom.

She respected others’ personal space. Since moving into Xinyu Garden, she had never entered Shen Zhikou ‘s bedroom. Even now, she didn’t glance around as she stepped inside.

She placed Shen Zhikou on the edge of the bed, following her instructions to turn on the desk lamp. The overly bright light was harsh, so she adjusted it to a warm setting before returning to Shen Zhikou’s side.

Mindful of boundaries, she didn’t presume to sit beside her on the bed, standing upright despite the burning discomfort.

“Thank you… for earlier.”

Qu Zhen shook her head. “Sister, we’re married now. No need to be so formal.”

The warm light bathed Shen Zhikou’s soft cheeks, her eyes shimmering like flowing water.

She looked up at Qu Zhen and asked softly, “Are you sober now?”

Qu Zhen’s face flushed crimson as images from earlier flooded her mind, the taste of lily of the valley still lingering on her lips. She averted her gaze, staring at the floor.

“I’m sorry, truly. Sister, punish me.”

Shen Zhikou replied smoothly, “It’s fine. We’re married now.”

“It’s not fine. I… I was too much.” Feeling she had overstepped, Qu Zhen still wanted to atone. “Punish me, Sister.”

This pseudo-rut wasn’t as intense as the first one, at least still within controllable limits. But Shen Zhikou was different, she could sense she was on the verge of losing control.

“Fine.” Shen Zhikou steadied her breathing. “Come here.”

Qu Zhen obediently stepped forward.

“Did you learn how to give a temporary mark?”

This was an innate ability for most alphas, something they could master without formal instruction. Having studied diligently, Qu Zhen nodded shyly.

“Sister, I know how.”

Shen Zhikou said no more, turning to expose the gland on her neck. “Help me remove the suppressant patch.”

“Okay.”

Qu Zhen refused to let her thoughts wander, much less her gaze. Before marriage, she had resolved to be a respectful life partner to Shen Zhikou, honoring all her decisions and actions.

But she had underestimated the compatibility between S-rank alphas and omegas. The moment she peeled off the nearly imperceptible patch, the room was flooded with the scent of lily of the valley, nearly driving her to lose control.

Her mouth dry, Qu Zhen swallowed hard, digging her fingers into her palm to suppress the urge to bite down immediately.

“Sister, do you need pre-marking comfort?”

“Hmm.”

Qu Zhen followed the script, tilting Shen Zhikou’s face to kiss her right cheek. Meeting her misty, beautiful eyes, she kissed the left cheek next. Only then did she pull Shen Zhikou into her embrace, their hair intertwining as she focused on the alluring gland.

“Sister, may I?”

Shen Zhikou couldn’t answer, the intense heat rendering her voiceless, her fingers curling unconsciously.

Summoning the last of her strength, she managed a nod.

Their first temporary mark had happened in the hotel’s isolation room. Qu Zhen had no memory of the sensation, only recalling feeling like a weightless cloud drifting across the sky, morphing into shapes, a lamb, a candied hawthorn skewer, even a rose.

But this time, fully conscious, the moment her teeth pierced the gland, Qu Zhen felt like molten lava erupting from a volcano, scorching everything in its path, each spark capable of turning the land into an eternal inferno.

Time marched on, indifferent to mortal affairs.

The moment the mark was complete, Qu Zhen, no longer clear-headed, couldn’t resist kissing the back of the unconscious Omega’s hand.

The warmth was like a butterfly stumbling into a wine cellar, drunkenly fluttering toward the latticed window.

…

The next morning.

Dawn broke over Haicheng, the skies clearing after the rain.

The light blue curtains obscured the view outside. In the master bedroom, the two entwined figures showed no signs of waking.

After last night’s events, both had slept deeply. When the alarm rang, Qu Zhen merely stirred before drifting off again.

It wasn’t until 8:30 that she finally opened her eyes. Staring blankly at the ceiling, she realized this wasn’t the guest bedroom and bolted upright to look beside her.

Shen Zhikou, mere inches away, looked breathtakingly beautiful, her flushed face the picture of allure. The third button of her shirt had come undone, revealing a glimpse of snow-white skin that rivaled the moon in its radiance.

Qu Zhen sat up abruptly, so flustered she nearly started chanting sutras to calm herself.

Moving carefully, she tucked Shen Zhikou in, grabbed her phone, and tiptoed out of the master bedroom, retreating to the guest room faster than a startled rabbit.

Closing the door behind her, Qu Zhen leaned against it, piecing together the events of last night.

She got drunk! (｡ŏ_ŏ)

She took advantage of Sister! Σ(°△°|||)

She gave Sister a temporary mark! Σ(°Д°;

Qu Zhen slid to the floor, hugging her knees and resting her forehead on them, her ears redder than roses.

After reconstructing the night’s events, she spent some time berating herself in her head, adding “never drink again, alcohol leads to trouble” to her notes.

Once done, she pulled open the curtains, blinking against the bright daylight. A glance at her phone confirmed the worst.

The lock screen read 8:55.

!!!

She was late!

No… she’d skipped class! (╥﹏╥)

Qu Zhen, who had never missed a single lecture in four years of university, not even the most pointless career planning classes felt like a storm was raging inside her.

Her notes now included a string of exclamation marks next to “alcohol leads to trouble.”

She quickly opened WeChat. The group chat with her three roommates was filled with @s.

[Zhou Yun: Didn’t see you in class. @Qu Zhen]

[Yang Shumeng: Huh? Where are you, Zhenzhen? @Qu Zhen]

…

[Yang Shumeng: What’s going on? Did you oversleep? We signed you in for now. @Qu Zhen]

Qu Zhen typed out an excuse, thanking her roommates profusely while vowing to apologize to the professor next time.

She stood by the window until the embarrassment faded, then grabbed fresh clothes and headed to the bathroom.

As the sound of running water filled the bathroom, the master bedroom door remained shut. The phone on the windowsill vibrated, Shen Zhikou, who had woken up shortly after Qu Zhen left, answered the call.

“Shen Yunxi.” The woman’s voice on the other end was thick with confusion. “Why did you suddenly cancel your gland removal surgery? Don’t you think you owe me an explanation?”

Shen Zhikou’s expression was frosty. Buttoning up the shirt the alpha had loosened, her voice was devoid of emotion. “Dr. Xiang, who gave you the right to overstep?”

“Hah? We’ve known each other for over a decade, and I’m your attending physician!!” Xiang Xi softened her tone. “Director Shen, Head of the Shen Family. You refused to match with other S-rank alphas, letting your condition worsen until there was no turning back. Every flare-up feels like being flayed alive, and I couldn’t persuade you otherwise. Two months ago, you told me you wanted the gland removal, even if it meant becoming a disabled Omega. I couldn’t talk you out of that either.”

“But now you’ve canceled everything. Do you know the consequences?” Xiang Xi delivered her verdict coolly, like an executioner holding a blade. “Yunxi, you won’t live past three months.”

Pheromone dysregulation syndrome was incurable. Beyond finding a compatible match, the only solution was brutal… removing the gland, rendering one unable to sense pheromones like a beta. Few knew of this method, as those who underwent it rarely survived past two years.

“Aneniy told me you canceled ten days ago. Ten days ago, you were in the country-”

“I will live.”

With those three words, Shen Zhikou hung up, her expression as cold and detached as a jade statue, her eyes devoid of warmth.

She stood silently for a long time, as if enduring another harsh winter.

Turning, she noticed the discarded suppressant patch in the trash. Suddenly, she recalled her old friend’s question in the ancestral hall upon learning of her planned surgery.

“Yunxi, is this really worth it?”

Incense burned ceaselessly in the hall, the solemn Buddha statue watching over them. Kneeling on the golden cushion, her figure as stark as pine and bamboo, Shen Zhikou had answered with the stubbornness of one who refused to accept fate.

“Life is fleeting, like stars at dawn.”

She enunciated each word: “I will have my way.”

…

Having already missed morning classes, Qu Zhen rushed to make breakfast.

As she bustled around the kitchen, her mind kept drifting back to last night. Shen Zhikou, pale and trembling, clutching her hand like a frightened kitten.

Her fear of the dark didn’t seem innate, more like the scars of past trauma.

Since learning that Shen Zhikou had a difficult childhood, Qu Zhen had avoided prying into her past, afraid of reopening old wounds or causing her pain.

“Life is fleeting, like stars at dawn”, A line from Du Fu’s poem, highlighting the transience of life and the rarity of reunions.

“I will have my way”, A famous quote from Zhao Min in The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber, embodying defiance and determination.