Mistaken ‘O’ is a Crazy Gorgeous Boss - Chapter 50

The lingering echoes dissipated in the heavy air.

The white fluorescent lights in the office felt particularly harsh at this moment, even turning into a mocking backdrop.

A scene from four years ago overlapped with the present, the figures of the perpetrator’s parents coming to persuade her bore an uncanny resemblance to Tang Qian. At the end of the white corridor, the smell of disinfectant lingered. Qu Han expressionlessly tore up all the agreements, as if tearing away their ugly facades, and sternly demanded that the perpetrator’s parents stop fabricating the truth about the car crash.

At that time, Qu Zhen stood by the bench, listening to their merciless sneers, hearing them mock how laughable it was to seek the truth through the law.

Now, four years later, as she was about to graduate with a degree in law, the crossroads of fate diverged once again.

She knew what would be better and more beneficial for herself.

But she couldn’t turn a blind eye or remain indifferent. Otherwise, she would become someone she despised, and it would also contradict her original intention of studying law.

At some point, Xiang Ting had also quietly entered the office. After observing the three of them for a long time, she walked over to Xu Qingqing, helped her fasten the top button of her shirt, and said softly:

“You see, betas are different from alphas and omegas. Betas have neither scent glands nor pheromones. They are neither as fragile as omegas nor as strong as alphas.” She patted Xu Qingqing’s shoulder. “Because there are no scent glands or pheromones to serve as direct evidence, the requirements for filing investigations in cases like sexual harassment or assault are stricter for betas. Without direct proof of her harassing you, relying solely on your testimony might do more harm than good.”

“You haven’t lost anything, just as Tang Qian said, you haven’t suffered any substantial harm.” She tried to dissuade her. “So, endure it a little longer. Once she gets transferred to the headquarters and gets promoted, you can officially stay on as a full-time employee. The benefits in Shengcan Capital’s legal department are top-tier in the industry. There’s no need to jeopardize your future over this.”

“You worked so hard to get into a prestigious university and studied for so many years. You wouldn’t want to ruin your reputation and prospects over something that didn’t even succeed, would you?”

Xu Qingqing’s shoulders trembled slightly, and she finally lifted her doll-like face from beneath her dark hair. She looked very young, and with her slightly below-average height and student-like style of dressing, she resembled a high school student.

“No substantial harm?” Her lips quivered. “If Xiao Qu had knocked on the door a little later, all the buttons on my clothes would have been undone, and my skirt would have been torn off. Do you know how I endured every single second in here? Is this what you call…no substantial harm?”

Xiang Ting and Tang Qian were left speechless.

Before the needle pricks one’s own skin, true empathy can never exist in this world.

“Yes, Xiao Qu and I have only studied law for four years, while you two have studied for seven years as graduate students.” She raised her eyes and stared directly at them. “Does studying for seven years give you the right to presumptively advise victims to give up their rights? On this day, do you still remember what the first chapter of the course on civil law said?”

Tang Qian was taken aback. “That’s not what we meant, we were just…”

“Safeguarding the rights and interests of citizens is the foundation of the law. Under civil law, all individuals are equal regardless of their secondary gender.”

“Whether it’s an alpha, Omega, or beta, when their legal rights are violated, they should use the weapon of the law to seek justice,” Qu Zhen said softly.

As soon as she finished speaking, her tone shifted, and her usually clear almond-shaped eyes now held a hint of cold severity. “Do you remember?”

The “Citizens’ Law” is a course that all law students take in their freshman year. The order of the curriculum might vary, but this course is never omitted.

“Whatever,” Xiang Ting shrugged. “We’re colleagues, so I’ve said my piece. Do whatever you want, it won’t come back to bite me.”

Xiang Ting turned and left, returning to her workstation and putting her headphones back on, shutting the three of them out. Tang Qian had initially wanted to say something more, but seeing the expressions on the other two’s faces, she sighed inwardly and, like Xiang Ting, left the office.

The room fell back into silence.

Xu Qingqing stood up. “Thank you, Xiao Qu.”

“No need to thank me,” Qu Zhen replied. “Are you okay?”

Tears that had been held back for so long finally fell, splashing onto the floor. Xu Qingqing wiped her eyes, her cheeks flushed red. “Let’s talk outside. I don’t want to stay here anymore.”

“Okay.”

Thanks to her previous experience of always checking for hidden cameras when staying in hotels with her roommates during trips, Qu Zhen noticed what seemed to be a tiny camera installed high up on the right wall before leaving. It was hidden to the right of the air conditioner and would be hard to spot without close inspection.

She frowned, making a mental note of it.

Due to internal corporate disputes five years ago and a case involving an employee’s fatal fall, government departments had since explicitly prohibited all companies from installing cameras in non-public private areas, except under special circumstances.

The two of them clocked out and left the building. As they walked along the long street toward the coffee shop, Qu Zhen ran into Yang Shumeng.

Shengcan Venture Capital and Hongding Law Firm, where Yang Shumeng was interning, were in the same area, so it wasn’t surprising to run into her. She greeted Qu Zhen happily but noticed she seemed out of sorts, sensing that something must have happened.

She was worried but didn’t want to intrude on her colleague’s matters, so she prepared to say goodbye.

Qu Zhen asked Xu Qingqing for her opinion, and after receiving her agreement, she asked Yang Shumeng to stay.

The three of them went to a coffee shop. After the coffee and desserts were served, they were the only ones left in that section. Qu Zhen placed her hands on her knees, unsure where to begin, worried that her abrupt questioning might cause Xu Qingqing further distress.

After much deliberation, she finally spoke softly, “A week ago, on the night I called you using a voice changer, Cao Yuan was already plotting against you, wasn’t she?”

Xu Qingqing’s eyes were round, her dark pupils bright. Without her black-framed glasses, she looked even more adorable. She nodded quietly, tears glistening as they slid from the corners of her eyes, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Yes, she told me to sit in the front seat, and I didn’t dare refuse. At first, her attitude was calm, but after we passed a traffic light, she placed her hand on my knee…”

Yang Shumeng’s eyes widened in shock, realizing the severity of the situation from their conversation. She was furious, her pink cake fork nearly snapping in her grip.

“I pushed her away, and she just laughed. When she tried to touch me again, you called.” She grabbed a tissue to wipe her tears, her nose bright red. “I was so scared, so I lied and said you were my family. Luckily, you had the voice changer on, so she believed me and let me out of the car.”

Any words of comfort felt hollow at that moment. Qu Zhen clenched her fists, her voice heavy. “In the week after that, did she send you any harassing messages?”

“No.” Xu Qingqing shook her head. “She’s very cautious. After all, she’s a lawyer herself, she wouldn’t leave such obvious evidence.”

“She didn’t harass me again like that for the rest of the week, until tonight.”

Xu Qingqing paused for a moment, as if making a critical decision. She lifted the bitter Americano and drank most of it, her voice rising slightly.

“Today, when she sent all of you away, I knew something was wrong. I tried to avoid her, but she practically forced me into her office and told me to take off my clothes. I refused, so she grabbed my hand and started insulting me, saying things like, ‘If you’re so close to her, why act all chaste?'”

“She said she could get us into the Xinghai Club’s auction, and tomorrow she could make sure I never survive in Haicheng.” Her voice trembled. “She was insane. With her other hand, she started unbuttoning my clothes, saying betas like us don’t have scent glands or pheromones. She said she was just going to touch me, and as long as she didn’t leave any marks, I’d have no chance if I tried to sue her. And she wasn’t afraid because no one would dare to report her anyway.”

“The disparity caused by secondary genders is just too great. I couldn’t break free from her grip. She undid my first button and was about to undo the second when you knocked on the door. Maybe she was afraid of causing too big a scene, so she let me go and told me to keep my mouth shut, otherwise, I’d be getting a termination email.”

Yang Shumeng, boiling with rage, couldn’t hold back any longer.

From the first time she met Xu Qingqing, she’d felt a sense of familiarity because Xu Qingqing had a baby face somewhat resembling Jiang Cheng’s, and they were about the same height, though their styles of dress were quite different.

But she never expected to hear something so vile and disgusting next.

She burst out, her face flushed: “Does this mentor of yours have a big ego or what? She’s going to make it so we can’t survive in Haicheng? What, does she own Haicheng like it’s her personal supermarket that she can shut down whenever she wants? Does she think laws and regulations are just for show? Just wait… I’m sending an anonymous report to the higher-ups at Shengcan Capital right now. She’ll be kicked to the curb by tomorrow.”

“Sending that won’t help. She has strong connections in the company, one of the executives is a relative of hers.”

Yang Shumeng insisted, “Then we’ll just report it to the police. If internal channels can’t solve it, we’ll hand it over to the authorities, either the police or the Secondary Gender Administration.”

After saying this, she realized she hadn’t even asked the person involved for their opinion and immediately apologized. “I’m sorry, I got too angry and didn’t ask what you think. How do you feel about this?”

Xu Qingqing managed a tearful smile. “It’s okay.”

“After getting out of the car that first time, I told myself that maybe… she wouldn’t do it again next time. Maybe if I endured it a little longer, it would pass. Perhaps if I avoided her, I could keep working at the company like nothing happened. I don’t want to lose this job. My family’s situation isn’t good, I even had to take out student loans for college. This job is really important to me.”

She continued, “But today, I realized this situation is completely different from what I thought. My tolerance won’t make her lose interest, nor will it make her let me go. It will only invite more severe humiliation.”

Even as she smiled, tears began to fall. “Actually, the first person back in the office today wasn’t you, it was… Tang Qian. I heard her humming inside. I pushed a book off the sofa, hoping she would help me, save me. But… when she heard it, she paused for a moment, then pretended she hadn’t heard anything and turned back.”

“Thank you, Xiao Qu. Thank you for saving me.”

She looked utterly pitiful and disheveled. “I’ve made up my mind. Cao Yuan specifically targets beta girls. There must have been other victims like me before. If I choose to stay silent this time, many more innocent beta girls will fall into this trap. I want to report this to the police. Even if I get fired, it’s fine, I can go back to my hometown and find work somewhere else.”

Qu Zhen shook her head. “It’s nothing, no need to thank me. Even if you file a police report, you’ll need evidence. And… the current beta protection laws aren’t as comprehensive as the alpha and Omega protection laws. I think Cao Yuan is taking advantage of that by targeting betas.”

“At the police station, you might not even be able to file a case,” she added, shifting her tone. “But the protection laws were revise this September. If the number of victims reaches three, then a case can be directly filed and investigated, with the severity of the crime determining the punishment.”

Xu Qingqing said, “But everyone in the department is like Tang Qian, turning a blind eye. We can’t identify past victims, and we can’t force them to come forward…”

“No.” Qu Zhen’s eyes lit up. “Someone spoke out online. Maybe we can find her.”

Then she revealed her true intention for keeping Yang Shumeng. “Shumeng, when I searched Cao Yuan’s name today, I found an anonymous personal post from just two days ago. But when I clicked on it, it said access was forbidden. Can your childhood friend trace the IP address from the browsing history?”

“She probably can. I’ll contact her right away.”

“If I’m not mistaken, that post should have two pseudonyms. If we can find them successfully, then this situation might turn around.” She analyzed it methodically. “Cao Yuan said she’s not afraid of us reporting to the police. The worst-case scenario is that she has connections there. But next Monday is the once-every-five-years National Assembly. Any minor disturbance before then will be noticed by government departments, and the impact will be much greater than usual. To prevent any incidents, the police and management bureaus are working through weekends these two weeks.”

Xu Qingqing had a sudden realization. “Not only are they working, but they’re also on high alert. You can even file a complaint directly with the bureau chief at the management bureau. According to the newly issued regulations, the management bureau has the authority to demand the police open an investigation. If we can find the other two victims before next Monday, we can succeed!”

Yang Shumeng said, “Heaven never seals off all exits. This time, we can definitely do it!”

“Right.” A flicker of a smile finally surfaced in Qu Zhen’s eyes. “This is the best option before us. If we can follow this plan, we can minimize the damage. Once the case is officially filed and investigated, all of Cao Yuan’s actions will be halted, and others connected to her will be monitored by regulatory authorities. She won’t be able to cause any more trouble for us or our families.”

They still couldn’t fully grasp Cao Yuan’s hidden capabilities, nor did they know the extent of her influence in Haicheng. But after weighing the pros and cons, this was the only viable solution for ordinary people like them, the only path worth gambling on.

If this didn’t work, it would be nearly impossible to find another way to minimize losses so effectively.

Qu Zhen wasted no time and pulled out her laptop, sending the access record to Yang Shumeng. Upon receiving the message, Yang Shumeng immediately forwarded it to her childhood friend, awaiting her response.

In the meantime, Xu Qingqing looked at them with immense gratitude. After all, neither of them had any obligation to get involved in this mess, and for ordinary people to confront those in power was like an egg striking a stone.

Despite the uncertain road ahead, they had chosen to stand by her side, which moved and touched her deeply.

Yang Shumeng’s childhood friend was a computer expert who had been headhunted by an overseas company the previous year with a seven-figure salary. Before long, she sent back the target’s IP address.

They were in luck, the person was also in Haicheng and not far away.

After a quick discussion, the three of them set off immediately.

When they arrived at the person’s doorstep, the beta woman who answered the door was clearly startled. She was dressed in an orange cotton pajama set, with delicate and cute features and a pair of charming canine teeth when she smiled.

After explaining their purpose, the beta woman let out a sigh of relief and invited them to wait in the living room.

Soon, she changed into more formal attire, served them tea, and introduced herself.

“My name is Yu Tian. I graduated three years ahead of you and joined Shengcan Venture Capital three years ago. I’m sure you already know what happened to me. I resigned voluntarily, but Cao Yuan didn’t let me off the hook. Since leaving, I haven’t been able to work in my field, I’ve mostly taken jobs at small companies or done odd jobs. I’m sure you understand why.”

“Because of her threats, the other victims chose to remain silent and endure. Only one senior, who graduated a year before me, joined me in speaking out online. Our posts were frequently deleted, and reporting to the police was useless because we had no concrete evidence.”

A fierce flame burned in Yu Tian’s eyes. “But this year’s legal revisions and the National Congress made me realize this is a crucial opportunity. I had to seize it, so I started posting online again, hoping to attract more attention. Thankfully, fate was on our side, and you found my post. If you hadn’t shown up these past couple of days, my only chance would have been to take one last gamble on the day of the Congress.”

Qu Zhen apologized to Yu Tian for having tracked her IP address without permission.

“It’s alright, I understand. As long as we can bring Cao Yuan to justice, we’ll cooperate in any way you need.”

The four of them began to discuss, clarifying their thoughts and ruling out all possible wrong moves. In the end, they decided to head to the regulatory bureau overnight.

“The newly appointed director in July this year is very diligent. I once thought about stopping her car to make a scene,” Yu Tian chuckled. “But I was thinking too simply. After all, I’m just an ordinary person, and this is all I can do. The new director has a very good reputation; she usually leaves very late, so she should still be at the Administration Bureau at this hour.”

“The later it gets, the more likely we are to alert the enemy. We should go now without delay.”

“Mm.”

Bringing all the necessary documents, Yu Tian contacted another victim, and they hurried to the Administration Bureau.

At 9:40 p.m., the night was as dark as thick, bottomless ink. The group arrived at the Second Gender Administration Bureau and rang the emergency bell at the public service window. All the police personnel gathered around.

Among the five, only Qu Zhen was an alpha. She stood at the forefront, calmly explaining the situation to the lead official. The commotion outside caught the attention of the management on the top floor. A female omega in a black uniform descended the stairs and escorted them to meet the new director of the Administration Bureau as they had hoped.

This new director was the youngest female beta to ever hold the position in the bureau’s history. She appeared to be around forty years old, with a gentle demeanor and an air of grace. During her tenure, she had been dedicated to addressing the overlooked issues faced by betas.

The revised Beta Protection Law in September this year included many improvements, largely thanks to her efforts.

When Qu Zhen caught sight of the name on the display plaque on her desk, she couldn’t help but recall Jiang Cheng’s mention of Lan Yu, who had lost her beloved in her youth.

The plaque had two lines of small text, with the name “Lan Wan” written in white font in the middle. Qu Zhen glanced at it briefly before turning her attention back to the three individuals recounting Cao Yuan’s crimes to Director Lan.

When Xu Qingqing mentioned the evidence, Qu Zhen promptly added that Cao Yuan’s office was equipped with a miniature camera.

Lan Wan looked at her and nodded with a smile.

After a while, Qu Zhen, who had been silent, noticed that the air in the room seemed to be growing thinner. The scene before her eyes became increasingly blurred.

It was as if a thin white veil had descended, and everything around her gradually turned hazy.

The gland at the back of her neck grew increasingly hot, and an inexplicable warmth spread through her limbs.

As the world spun around her, her consciousness grew hazy, as if being stripped away. Everything drifted further and further into the distance. Unable to hold on any longer, she closed her eyes and collapsed into unconsciousness.