Mistaken ‘O’ is a Crazy Gorgeous Boss - Chapter 19.2

Amidst her internal contradictions, Qu Zhen hadn’t noticed that Shen Zhikou had come out until a sound from behind made her abruptly turn her head.

The Omega standing by the water dispenser was dressed in a long black silk nightgown. The soft fabric perfectly outlined the Omega’s graceful curves, with her slender waist so delicate it seemed as if it could be held in one hand.

“Morning.”

When Qu Zhen caught sight of the rosy marks on Shen Zhikou’s neck, she turned into a stuttering mess again. “S-sister, good morning.”

Those marks were left by her… after drinking, she had become unusually clingy. She didn’t know how to do anything properly, pecking at the Omega until Shen Zhikou softly gasped, and then happily asked if her sister wanted to kiss her too.

Qu Zhen couldn’t understand why her behavior after drinking was so terrible. Every single thing she did made her sober self want to crawl into a hole.

Shen Zhikou walked closer to her and set a cup of water on the table. “Do you need any help?”

“Sister, no need.” Qu Zhen quickly shook her head. “It’ll be ready soon. Just give me three more minutes.”

“Okay.”

Once the time was up, the empty dining table was immediately filled with breakfast. Sausage and scrambled egg toast rolls were sprinkled with the salted egg yolk sauce Shen Zhikou loved, corn and shrimp wontons were delicate and fragrant, and beef guokui was rich with the aroma of meat. Qu Zhen had also made a custard pudding and red bean yam balls for Shen Zhikou.

“Sister, try it and see if it suits your taste.”

“Thank you for your hard work.” Shen Zhikou scooped a spoonful of pudding. “From now on, let’s take turns cooking. For example, I’ll cook on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays, and you can take Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.”

“I’ll handle it,” Qu Zhen insisted earnestly. “Seeing you enjoy the meals I make is something that brings me great joy.”

Shen Zhikou compromised. “Then how about I cook on Tuesdays and Fridays?”

Qu Zhen held her ground. “If Mom finds out I let you into the kitchen, she’ll use one of her three ultimate moves on me, making me write a letter of repentance.”

Qu Han and Qin Huan had been married for twenty-five years, and as long as they were home, Qu Han had almost never let Qin Huan step into the kitchen. Occasionally, when Qin Huan felt inspired to cook for the mother-daughter pair and ended up turning the kitchen into a chaotic mess, Qu Zhen still had to play along with Qu Han and praise Qin Huan’s cooking.

“Would Aunt really do that?”

“Yes.” Qu Zhen nodded seriously. “So, let me be in charge of the meals at home.”

“Alright.” Shen Zhikou changed the subject. “Thank you for last night.”

Hearing about the previous night, Qu Zhen was about to say something when Shen Zhikou continued, “When I was just one year old, my Omega mother passed away due to illness. For as long as I can remember, my alpha mother never liked me because she believed my mother fell ill and left because of me.”

Qu Zhen’s heart tightened. “Sister.”

“It’s okay. Bringing it up means I’ve moved past it. I just wanted to tell you why I’m afraid of the dark and to let you know more about my past.” Shen Zhikou recounted that carefully edited and selectively shared part of her history. “The first time I was locked in a dark room was on my sixth birthday. She believed my arrival was a calamity, that I had caused my mother’s death, and that I didn’t deserve to celebrate my birthday. Even though I hadn’t done anything wrong, she locked me in without another word.”

Her tone was calm, as if she were telling a story that had nothing to do with her: “The ‘little black room’ was actually a basement. It was pitch black inside, damp and dim, with the pungent smell of dead mice. I stayed in there for 12 hours, without water or any food, until she remembered to let me out the next day.”

“I was too young back then. I was terrified, and ever since, I’ve been afraid of the dark.”

Even though the protagonist of the story was Shen Zhikou, Qu Zhen, the listener, felt her eyes welling up. Qu Zhen had grown up immersed in the love of her two mothers. Qu Han and Qin Huan adored her, never once scolding or hitting her. They gave her the stars if she asked for them, offering her the very best of everything they could provide.

Even when unexpected changes occurred later on, they remained deeply caring and loving toward her.

As a result, Qu Zhen, with her strong sense of empathy, couldn’t help but imagine what the young Shen Zhikou must have endured during those 12 hours. Her eyes reddened, and tears slid down her cheeks.

“Don’t cry,” said Shen Zhikou, sitting to her right, as she wiped away Qu Zhen’s tears. Her words carried a deeper meaning: “Things are good now. I already have the best of everything.”

With the tear stains dried from the corners of her eyes, Qu Zhen held Shen Zhikou’s hand tightly and promised, “Sister, my mothers will definitely treat you exceptionally well. They’ll love you just as much as they love me.”

Gazing at the little crybaby beside her, Shen Zhikou nodded.

Of course, she believed Qu Zhen’s words, because she knew very well that Qu Han and Qin Huan were kind-hearted people.

In the end, they only finished half of their breakfast, with most of it going into Qu Zhen’s stomach. Shen Zhikou, having a small appetite, ate only a little. Since the topic of the past had been broached, after cleaning up, Qu Zhen pulled Shen Zhikou along to continue deepening their understanding of each other.

The two sat on the sofa, with a plate of yellow peaches on the table. As Qu Zhen peeled the peaches for Shen Zhikou, she talked about her decision to change her major in college.

“Over the past four years, I’ve interned at courts, law firms, and companies. Sometimes I feel that, no matter where I am, it’s all the same for me.”

Shen Zhikou countered, “Because they’re all places you don’t want to be, right?”

“Mm. Field archaeology is exhausting, but that kind of exhaustion makes me happy, fulfilled, and gives me a sense of accomplishment,” Qu Zhen explained. “Law is also profoundly meaningful, but it doesn’t offer me those feelings.”

The four roommates in her dorm had different reasons for studying law. For Qu Zhen, it was because of the injustice she felt due to a family incident, and at the time, her family was struggling financially. Archaeology was a niche field with poor job prospects and low salaries, so she couldn’t ignore her mother lying in a hospital bed and choose to pursue archaeology.

Yang Shumeng studied law because she loved it and wanted to become a lawyer to fight for justice. Zhou Yun ended up in law because she didn’t get into her first-choice major and was placed in her second-choice, law, which she had filled in casually. Jiang Cheng was influenced by her aunt and aspired to become a renowned, top-tier lawyer like her.

Because their reasons for studying law differed, their choices in their senior year also varied greatly.

The peeled yellow peaches were fresh and juicy. Shen Zhikou picked up a piece with a toothpick and handed it to Qu Zhen first. “Then why not take the postgraduate entrance exam for archaeology?”

“I’ve had that idea and have been preparing for it,” Qu Zhen said, her eyes curving into happy crescents as she talked about something she loved. “But studying law for four years has also taught me a lot. I still remember what the professor who taught us ‘Civil Protection Law’ during my sophomore year said. That’s why I want to give this internship a try as well.”

Shen Zhikou responded, “Mm, whatever you do, I’ll support you.”

Qu Zhen was practically clenching her fists in determination: “Sister, I’ll work hard!”

After getting their marriage certificate, she handed over the card Qin Huan had given her, along with her own bank card, to Shen Zhikou for safekeeping. That card contained all the money she had saved since childhood: New Year’s money, scholarships, part-time job earnings, internship wages, and more. The accumulated amount was not small.

She even brought the piggy bank from her old bedroom at home and gave it to Shen Zhikou, truly honest to the point of being endearing.

The two chatted for a while longer and decided to drive to Star Island at 2:30 p.m. Just as Qu Zhen was about to go to the bedroom to pack her things, Shen Zhikou stopped her.

“Remember to change your clothes.”

“Huh?” Qu Zhen glanced at the light apricot-colored simple sweater she was wearing and only then realized she had put it on inside out. “O-okay.”

She hurried toward the guest bedroom, but as soon as she closed the door and changed her clothes, Shen Zhikou knocked.

The alpha inside blushed crimson: “Sister.”

“I’m here to help you move your things.”

“Ah?”

“Does Attorney Xiao Zhen prefer living separately after marriage?”

Qu Zhen stared at her toes: “N-no.”

Shen Zhikou hinted meaningfully, “Do you remember the revised clause 3.7?”

Qu Zhen immediately recited the clause word for word without missing a beat.

Shen Zhikou remained composed: “From last night until the end of our vacation, according to the clause, this is considered a special period. Last night, during the temporary inspection, I unconditionally agreed to all your requests. So, as Party A of the contract, if I propose the requirement of moving your luggage to the master bedroom and not living separately, what should Party B do?”

Qu Zhen, who had memorized the agreement thoroughly, blushed even more and replied softly, “Should comply and fulfill.”

“Attorney Xiao Zhen is indeed professional.”

Qu Zhen had very little luggage, bringing only a few sets of clothes, a quilt, and a pillow. Everything else was already in the master bedroom.

Compared to the guest room, the master bedroom was twice as spacious. As soon as Qu Zhen stepped inside, she caught the faint scent of lily of the valley. She paused briefly, stopping by the dressing table.

“Sister.”

“Mm?”

“I forgot to ask earlier.” She lifted the pillow and quilt in her hands. “Do I need to wash them again before putting them on the bed?”

“No need. We’ll share one blanket.”

After last night, Qu Zhen’s shyness had only increased: “I don’t sleep very well; I might end up fighting you for the blanket.”

Shen Zhikou, who had been sitting on the dressing chair, stood up and stopped two steps away from Qu Zhen: “Do you remember what you asked me before the temporary inspection last night?”

From two steps away, Qu Zhen could clearly see the red mark on the Omega’s right earlobe, a bite mark she had left last night when she turned into a clingy mess, like a crimson crescent adorning a white cloud.

The honest one, who was not good at lying, said, “Sister, I… don’t remember.”

Shen Zhikou took another step closer, her captivating peach-blossom eyes stirring emotions: “You asked me, ‘Do you like puppies?'”

“I didn’t answer right away, so you acted spoiled, kissed my ear, and said I was very mean.”

The honest one’s face burned as if on fire, turning into a motionless wooden figure: “I’m sorry, Sister. Last night was my first time drinking. I didn’t know… I would act like that when drunk.”

“It’s fine. Do you want to know the answer?”

The wooden Qu Zhen was a little curious because she and her family loved small animals like puppies and kittens.

“I do.”

“I like them.”

Qu Zhen’s eyes lit up.

Shen Zhikou’s emphasis was on the latter part: “I like obedient, well-behaved puppies.”