Mistaken ‘O’ is a Crazy Gorgeous Boss - Chapter 42

The quilt was as soft as satin, and the light was completely blocked by the curtains.

Shen Zhikou gazed thoughtfully at the person beside her, watching as her ears gradually turned red while her face remained deceptively calm.

Perhaps her gaze was too intense, as Qu Zhen couldn’t help but ask, “Sister, is there something wrong with my question?”

“No,” Shen Zhikou replied. “It’s just that you seem a little different.”

“In what way?”

“I can’t quite put it into words.” Shen Zhikou averted her eyes. “After secondary differentiation, there are always some changes in appearance and other aspects.”

Qu Zhen’s first instinct was to get out of bed and check herself in the vanity mirror to see exactly what had changed. But then she remembered she had just looked at herself while washing up that morning and hadn’t noticed anything different, so she suppressed the urge and asked softly, “Then, in your eyes, are these changes good or bad?”

She never forgot that she was currently pursuing Shen Zhikou, which was why she wanted to know the answer, and hoped it wouldn’t make things worse.

“As long as they aren’t harmful to you, then to me, they’re good.”

It was a subtle expression of emotion, but Qu Zhen didn’t grasp the deeper meaning behind it. She only understood that Shen Zhikou didn’t dislike these changes.

She pursed her lips and smiled. “Mm, I understand.”

Shen Zhikou abruptly changed the subject. “Did the injection hurt?”

In reality, alpha contraceptive injections were more effective than those for Omegas, but they also caused greater damage and could even lead to temporary disruptions during the sensitive period. That was why it was usually Omegas who took contraceptive measures.

When Qu Zhen went to the hospital for the injection, the nurse was somewhat surprised by her determination. Watching her turn pale from the pain, the nurse remarked on how well she treated her Omega.

On this matter, Qu Zhen lied. “Sister, it didn’t hurt.”

“Didn’t your aunt ever tell you?”

“Tell me what?”

“When you lie, you avoid eye contact and make all sorts of little movements you don’t even notice.” Shen Zhikou made a comparison. “Like a shy little koala trying to hide itself in a pile of leaves.”

Her lie seen through in an instant, Qu Zhen gave up resisting.

“It hurt a little.”

“Really?”

Qu Zhen’s voice grew even softer. “Actually… it hurt quite a bit.” She quickly added, “But it was only for a moment, and the pain went away quickly. Besides, I’m your alpha. It’s only right that I bear this pain.”

“Until your body has fully recovered, I’ll keep getting the contraceptive injections.”

Shen Zhikou’s fingertip pressed against the dimple in Qu Zhen’s cheek, almost as if teasing a child.

“Even after learning to be a little mischievous, you’re still this well-behaved?”

Qu Zhen stayed silent.

Soon, Shen Zhikou withdrew her hand and leaned close to her ear to ask, “How did it feel for you last night?”

In an instant, Qu Zhen was reminded of the previous night when she had asked Shen Zhikou if she was on the verge of tears because of the pain. At that time, Shen Zhikou’s eyes had been misty, as if tears were about to fall at any moment.

But she had said no, leaning close to Qu Zhen’s ear to whisper her reply.

“…It felt really good.”

Now, she was turning the question back on her. Qu Zhen, feeling shy and flustered, hugged her back and buried her face silently in the curve of her shoulder and neck.

After a while, the lingering floral scent from the night before had completely dissipated, but Shen Zhikou still hadn’t heard a response from the shy alpha. She had intended to let the matter drop and move on to another topic, but in the next moment, she clearly heard the alpha’s voice.

“The same feeling as with you, sis.”

“Because I have other thoughts about you now, being intimate with you naturally makes me feel… very happy.”

Shen Zhikou gently pinched her ear. “Then, after my body recovers, we can consider the matter of having a child.”

Qu Zhen loosened her embrace slightly and looked up. “Although there’s still a long time ahead, I want to remind you, sis, that childbirth carries significant risks. I hope you’ll think it through carefully. In this regard, my mom and I will unconditionally support your decision, fully respect your thoughts and wishes, and absolutely not interfere or impose our own ideas.”

“Okay, I understand.”

…

The two didn’t get up until 2 p.m.

Since they had made dinner plans with Yang Shumeng and the other two for 7 p.m., after watching a movie in the living room and tidying up a bit, they left the apartment and drove to the agreed-upon location.

Earlier, based on Qu Zhen’s descriptions of her roommates’ tastes, Shen Zhikou had recommended six restaurants to the three of them. After considering various factors, they ultimately chose Trious Restaurant.

Trious was located in Nanwan, near C University, about a 40-minute drive from Xinyu Garden. The road was congested, so they arrived just on time.

The restaurant was bustling with business, and by 7 p.m., all the first-floor seats were already taken. Following the server’s guidance, the two headed to the reserved private room. When they pushed the door open, the three who had already taken their seats instinctively looked toward Shen Zhikou, who was standing beside Qu Zhen.

Yang Shumeng’s face lit up with admiration, Jiang Cheng let out a soft “wow,” while Zhou Yun gave a few more ambiguous glances.

“Sit, sit, sit.” Yang Shumeng pulled out chairs for them. “Was the traffic bad?”

Qu Zhen nodded. “Yes.”

The seats had been intentionally left for them, not only side by side but also with an excellent view. Shen Zhikou greeted each of the three in turn, her usually cool expression carrying a touch more warmth than usual.

Even so, her innate elegance and sense of detachment made the three, who were nodding repeatedly, unconsciously reveal a hint of awkwardness and nervousness.

Yang Shumeng handed the menu to them. “You two order. We were waiting for you.”

Having taken off her brown coat upon entering, Shen Zhikou wore a black fitted base layer. Without a trace of makeup, her skin was as flawless as porcelain, and her lips were naturally rosy. She was as beautiful as a night-blooming cereus.

She passed the menu to Qu Zhen and chatted amiably with the three, maintaining just the right amount of distance, poised and entirely at ease.

“Yes, Xiao Zhen is wonderful,” Yang Shumeng agreed. “Smart, beautiful, attentive, and hardworking, truly one in a million as an alpha!”

When the conversation turned to college memories, Jiang Cheng chimed in enthusiastically, “That’s right. Xiao Zhen is especially kind-hearted. Even after earning enough volunteer credits, she still often participated in non-credit volunteer activities. In the statistics system, her volunteer hours were the longest in our class.”

Zhou Yun also nodded. “Yes, although Xiao Zhen is majoring in law, she hasn’t given up her passion for archaeology. Not only does she excel in both law and archaeology, but she also manages to squeeze out a lot of time for volunteer work and part-time jobs. She’s the most outstanding role model in our class worth learning from.”

Qu Zhen, who had just wholeheartedly finished ordering, blinked in confusion, unsure how the conversation had suddenly turned to her.

She coughed lightly and cleared her throat. “It’s really nothing special. Everyone here is outstanding.”

As she turned her gaze, she met Shen Zhikou’s eyes. Those beautiful peach blossom eyes were filled with laughter, her pink lips curving upward at the corners, as though she were delightedly admiring a priceless treasure she cherished dearly after hearing others praise it.

So much so that Qu Zhen forgot what she had intended to say.

At that moment, all she knew was that she wanted Shen Zhikou to always be happy, to always smile so joyfully.

The food arrived quickly. During the meal, the five of them discussed many topics, with the upcoming internship being the most unavoidable. As dinner gradually drew to a close, Shen Zhikou finished the shrimp Qu Zhen had peeled for her, whispered an explanation to Qu Zhen, and then left the private room.

Once she was gone, the conversation clearly shifted again.

“Zhenzhen, you really are heaven’s chosen one,” Yang Shumeng couldn’t help but exclaim. “Throughout these three years of university, you’ve always been the luckiest one in our dorm! I was worried you’d be tricked into a marriage scam, but now that I’ve met Sister Shen, I realize I’m just a clown. I shouldn’t be interning at a law firm, I should be performing in a circus instead.”

“Exactly, Sister Shen is so beautiful. I thought I was dreaming of a fairy,” said Jiang Cheng, who was face-blind, taking a sip of soup. “Count me in as another clown.”

“My luck really isn’t-”

“Don’t you dare say it’s not good! Us unlucky folks can’t bear to hear that. Just take last Christmas, for example, what did you win? That special prize, a luxury travel package, was something only one in ten thousand people might get! And what did the three of us get? A lousy ‘Thank you for your patronage’ card.” Yang Shumeng pleaded, “Zhenzhen, next time you go to pray at the temple, take us with you. Please, I want to go with you.”

Qu Zhen smiled. “Alright, let’s go together.”

Zhou Yun, who had been buried in her phone checking WeChat messages, suddenly said, “Ever since Mengmeng sent me that link last time, the algorithm has been pushing the Shen family’s latest updates to me.”

“What updates?”

“I just glanced at it and swiped away. It seemed related to Shen Yunxi, something about equity changes.”

Jiang Cheng remarked, “In a big family like the Shens, Shen Yunxi really went through hell to secure her position back then.”

Yang Shumeng, very interested, couldn’t resist asking, “When I searched for Shen Yunxi’s personal information last time, why couldn’t I find any photos of her birth mother? They’re nowhere to be found online.”

The other two looked at Jiang Cheng curiously.

“Because the former head of the Shen family explicitly forbade it,” Jiang Cheng put down her chopsticks and sighed. “This isn’t really a secret in our circles. Do you remember? I mentioned before that the former head had six wives.”

“Yes,” Zhou Yun said. “It’s only because the alpha marriage laws weren’t as strict thirty years ago. If it were today, wouldn’t that count as bigamy?”

“No. Every wife she married was done through proper channels, related to alliances, but they usually separated after about two years.” Jiang Cheng paused. “Only the last one was different. Shen Yunxi’s birth mother… was a beta that the old family head snatched away by force.”

Yang Shumeng raised her voice in astonishment: “A beta?? How could it be a beta? Online records show Shen Yunxi is a high-level Omega!”

Jiang Cheng’s emotions were extremely complex, on one hand, she felt deep regret, and on the other, she found the old Shen family head utterly detestable.

“Shen Yunxi’s birth mother was named Yun Yun, the youngest daughter of the Yun family in Ningcheng. The Yun family has been renowned for perfumery for generations, and Yun Yun made a name for herself at a young age. By eighteen, she was already the leading master perfumer. Not only that, she was exceptionally beautiful. Those who saw her back then said her beauty transcended secondary genders, it was breathtaking.”

“After the old Shen family head saw Yun Yun once in Ningcheng, she used some underhanded methods to break off Yun Yun’s engagement and brought her back to Haicheng.” Jiang Cheng spoke with reluctance. “The Yun family couldn’t resist at that time. In fact, Yun Yun was already engaged. My aunt said she and that beta had grown up together, they were a perfect match in both looks and talent, and their relationship was exceptionally strong. They were just one month away from getting married.”

“After being taken to Haicheng, Yun Yun… had an artificial gland implanted.”

The three listening intently all changed their expressions, and Yang Shumeng widened her eyes in disbelief.

“Artificial gland technology thirty years ago was far from perfect. Implantation caused physical issues for the recipient. I remember this procedure was limited to laboratories. Why would the old family head implant one in Yun Yun? And she must have been insane, implanting in adulthood causes irreversible damage, essentially accelerating death. Why would she do this to someone she claimed to love???”

“Thirty years ago, the Shen family had even more power and influence than they do now,” Jiang Cheng explained. “Yun Yun was implanted with a gland and became an A-grade Omega, but unlike normal Omegas, her pheromones were disordered, her health completely deteriorated, and her estrus cycles were irregular.”

“Three months later, Yun Yun became pregnant. Less than a year after giving birth to Shen Yunxi, she passed away.”

“After her death, the old Shen family head changed Shen Yunxi’s name. She wasn’t originally named Shen Yunxi. As for why they used the character ‘Yun’ from her birth mother’s name, everyone has their own theories.”

“Holy shit,” Yang Shumeng slammed the table. “This old Shen family head is beyond my comprehension. No one would believe she isn’t seriously ill. Damn her, she deserves to go to hell.”

Qu Zhen frowned deeply. “This is utterly inhumane. It’s hard to imagine what kind of life Yun Yun and her daughter must have endured.”

“A living hell,” Zhou Yun remarked.

“If Shen Yunxi managed to rise to power despite that, she’s absolutely incredible. I hereby declare her my idol, my one and only queen!” Yang Shumeng exclaimed. “Well done!!”

“Do you know who helped Shen Yunxi behind the scenes to secure her position?”

“Who?”

Jiang Cheng revealed a name that surprised everyone: “The Lan family of Ningcheng, the very person Yun Yun was once… engaged to.”

“After the annulment of the engagement, Lan Yu from the Lan family turned to business. Over twenty years, she transformed the once-unknown Lan family into a pillar of Ningcheng. My mother once collaborated with Lan Yu and said she had a gentle personality, nothing like a scheming businessperson. Almost everyone spoke highly of her, and the media in Ningcheng adored Lan Yu, she had no negative press.”

“All these years, she never married, nor were there any rumors of romantic affairs. But every year on the Start of Autumn, she would go alone to a certain place.”

Qu Zhen asked solemnly, “Where is it?”

“Xinfan Island, the place where she grew up with Yun Yun. And the Start of Autumn is also the day Yun Yun passed away.”

“I think Lan Yu, who lost her beloved in her youth, must be missing her lover.”