Mistaken ‘O’ is a Crazy Gorgeous Boss - Chapter 59

She had only found out by chance that her name had been changed.

During that seemingly endless stretch of time, she could no longer recall exactly when it had happened. She only remembered that day, when she was huddled in that cramped little room as usual, eating the leftover scraps of cold food.

The Shen family estate was worth a fortune, with every room designed by top-tier architects. Yet her room stood in stark contrast to the rest of the mansion, even the servants’ quarters were more spacious, brighter, and cleaner than her dwelling.

Perhaps it couldn’t even be called her room, because Shen Wenxi had explicitly forbidden her from owning anything.

In her daily life, she was extremely cautious, treading as if on thin ice every day, yet she still managed to provoke the volatile Shen Wenxi.

That day, Shen Wenxi pushed the door open and ordered her to stand outside in the freezing snow as punishment. Shen Wenxi’s anger needed no excuse or reason, and she had no right to refuse. If she showed even the slightest hint of resistance, what awaited her was the pitch-black, boundless darkness of the basement.

Winter in Haicheng was bitterly cold, the chill seeping deep into her bones with the biting wind. Dressed in thin clothing, she stood for an hour amidst the falling snow until her entire body grew numb from the cold.

Perhaps out of pity, a servant nearby quietly reminded Shen Wenxi of the time.

Faintly, she seemed to hear Shen Wenxi’s scornful laugh. Just as she was on the verge of losing consciousness, Shen Wenxi, clad in an expensive fox fur coat and with a strikingly beautiful face, stood before her. Her narrow phoenix eyes held no trace of concern, pity, or compassion.

It was as if Shen Wenxi was taking revenge on her enemy, the corners of her lips even curling into a smile of triumphant satisfaction.

“How pitiful,” she said. “But this is exactly what you deserve.”

“You must hate me, don’t you?” she murmured as if to herself. “It’s good that you hate me, because I hate you too. You killed Yun Yun… how could I not hate you?”

“I loved Yun Yun so much, I treated her so well. Why did you have to kill her?”

The light snow had frozen into frost. At that time, the young Shen Yunxi, upon hearing the next words, felt as if she had been plunged into an icy abyss.

“Yun Yun once gave you a name, though I don’t know what meaning she intended by it. But from now on, you will no longer be called Shen Zhikou. You only deserve to be called Shen Yunxi.”

“You are the sin I created, the murderer who killed Yun Yun. So, I want you to always remember… your name is Shen Yunxi. The ‘Yun’ from Yun Yun, and the ‘Xi’ as a synonym for ‘regret’.” She took a step forward, her shoe stepping on the hem of her pants, then recoiling as if she had touched something filthy, her face contorted with disgust. “How dare you use the ‘Xi’ from my name? For the rest of your life, you will live under this shadow, like a criminal.”

That was the first time she learned that even her name was steeped in sin. It was also the first time she discovered that her birth mother had once named her Shen Zhikou.

Countless days and nights, she had wondered about the meaning behind the name Shen Zhikou. She didn’t dare to hope for too much, nor did she dare to imagine anything positive. Yet… she also shrank back in fear at the thought of a bad outcome.

And now, this letter, twenty-seven years too late, told her.

Upset not by the vexations of spring,
But only to compose the budding flower’s verse.

Her mother, her mama, had wished for her a life free from worries and sorrows, filled with happiness and joy.

She… she had actually loved her.

Mist clouded the thin lenses of her glasses, and tears sliding from the corners of her eyes dampened the letter. Silently, uncontrollably, she wept.

An unfamiliar emotion nearly overwhelmed her, because in the past twenty years, she hadn’t even been allowed to possess feelings like happiness, sadness, or anger, she had long forgotten how to smile.

Like a robot stripped of all emotions from the moment of its creation.

As a result, even in front of the person she loved, her emotional fluctuations remained faint, her smiles either forced or deliberately concealed.

The ache in her nose grew sharper, and the ringtone specially set for Qu Zhen echoed incessantly in her ears. Her drifting thoughts gradually returned. She removed her glasses and placed the aged letter back on the desk. As her fingertip brushed over the tear stain, a flicker of regret flashed in her eyes.

The phone rang for nearly a minute before she answered Qu Zhen’s call, concealing her turbulent emotions perfectly before replying.

“Zhenzhen.”

Qu Zhen’s voice on the other end was full of laughter: “Surprise check! Did you have a proper lunch, sis?”

Shen Zhikou wiped the tear marks at the corner of her eye. “Mm, I had lamb chops and drank some chicken soup. The company cafeteria’s food is getting better and better.”

“That’s good.” Qu Zhen said candidly, “I ate too, but it was simple, just a bowl of tomato and egg noodles. When you come back tonight, I’ll make something delicious.”

“Zhenzhen isn’t eating properly.”

“No, I am.” Qu Zhen changed the subject. “What time are you getting off work today, sis? I’ll come pick you up.”

Shen Zhikou glanced at the books on the shelf and couldn’t help but recall the library she had built for the young girl at the villa. From its overall appearance to its structural design, it was exactly the style the girl loved most. Moreover, the second floor was filled with archaeology books, including many rare and out-of-print collections.

She remembered every one of her wishes.

“I can come home a bit earlier today.” She averted her gaze. “No need to pick me up. It might rain later, so it’s not convenient for you to go out. Besides, I need to stop by a friend’s place to pick something up first.”

Qu Zhen agreed: “Then I’ll wait for you at home.”

“Mm, see you in the evening.”

“See you in the evening.” As if remembering something, Qu Zhen’s voice grew a bit hurried, as though she had turned back into a shy little rabbit. “Sis, I miss you so, so much.”

Even though Shen Zhikou felt she couldn’t smile, and that her smiles weren’t pleasant to look at, like a malevolent spirit wearing a barely acceptable disguise, a genuine smile born from affection and heartfelt emotion was hard to conceal and incredibly beautiful.

She knew this was probably something the young girl had picked up from those romance books. Perhaps such learning was a bit clumsy, especially in today’s fast-paced dating era, but it still made her happy, still made her heart flutter.

The corners of her pressed lips curved upward. As she smiled, the tears in her eyes gradually receded.

“Me too. I miss you so, so much, Zhenzhen.”

“I know.” Qu Zhen’s laughter was impossible to hide as she repeated, “See you in the evening, sis.”

She could hear the sweetness in the young girl’s voice and imagined her wagging her tail again, her fluffy ears perked up, so adorable it was impossible to look away.

“Mm.”

“Well-” Qu Zhen paused, reluctant. “Then you hang up, sis. I won’t disturb your work anymore. Drive carefully on your way back tonight, and stay safe.”

“Okay.”

Shen Yunxi decided to be the “villain” between the two of them, gently tapping her finger to end the call. The room returned to silence, and she lifted her gaze to the study door, where Lan Yu was also standing, watching her.

Those watery eyes were filled with undisguised worry and concern.

She had just turned fifty-two this year, with strands of silver at her temples like frost clinging to the sides, yet her elegance remained undiminished, and her demeanor grew even more serene, like orchids and chrysanthemums.

As their eyes met, she first apologized softly, “Aunt Lan originally wanted to give you enough personal space to read the letter, but I was still a little worried, so I came over from the flower pavilion. I knocked three times, but you didn’t respond. I was so concerned that I entered without your permission. I’m sorry, Koukou.”

Even though this was her own mansion, her own study, she still apologized gently for entering without Shen Yunxi’s consent.

“It’s alright, Aunt Lan.”

Shen Yunxi put her glasses back on, the lingering flush at the corners of her eyes completely faded. “Don’t worry, I’m fine. I was just on a call earlier, so I didn’t hear you knocking.”

Lan Yu sensed her unsettled emotions and stepped closer, gently patting her shoulder. She looked at her as if gazing at her own child, as if beholding a cherished treasure.

“In the past, Aunt Lan was late. Does Koukou still need Aunt Lan’s hug now?”

From the moment she began her business career and steadily expanded the group, bringing the once-declined Lan family back into the public eye, she had continuously negotiated with Shen Wenxi, hoping to bring Shen Yunxi under her care. But no matter how hard she tried, even conceding greatly and offering substantial rewards, Shen Wenxi stubbornly refused to let go.

The two were locked in a struggle like trapped beasts, tearing at each other over Shen Yunxi for more than a decade.

Shen Yunxi averted her gaze. “Aunt Lan, I’ll step out for now.”

“Alright.”

The asparagus fern in the corner trembled as a gust of wind swept through. As they passed each other, perhaps not wanting Lan Yu to continue worrying, Shen Yunxi paused for a moment and, for the first time, actively and gently hugged her.

She said, “I’m really fine, Aunt Lan. Please don’t worry.”

The sudden embrace left Lan Yu both stunned and overjoyed. She had arrived too late… Shen Yunxi was already scarred, her heart cold and numb, keeping others at a distance.

From the initial wariness, indifference, and rejection to the current ease, concern, and initiative, it had taken her many years.

A wave of bittersweet emotion surged in her heart as she returned the hug, holding the slender younger woman with the utmost maternal tenderness.

“Koukou, Aunt Lan understands.”

…

After accompanying Lan Yu as she took her medicine, the three of them had lunch and chatted for a while before Shen Yunxi and Yan Shuang drove away from Daishan.

The luxury car left the mansion, winding along the serpentine mountain road toward the city, cutting through the rising autumn rain like a beast parting layers of mist.

It had been raining when they arrived, and now it was raining again as they left. Mentioning Haicheng’s autumn, the first impression for all locals and tourists alike was the frequent autumn rains, with each rainfall bringing a deeper chill.

In the back seat of the luxury car, Yan Shuang’s expression shifted subtly after receiving a message.

“So, the Wei family has ties to Yu Suman? No wonder you’re determined to uproot the Wei family entirely.”

Amelia was somewhat puzzled, she had never heard this person’s name in her boss’s instructions. But if Qu Zhen were here, she would have realized it immediately and recalled those unpleasant memories.

Yu Suman was the perpetrator who had once pushed Qin Huan to the brink of death, leaving her in the ICU for a long time.

Yan Shuang continued, “It’s also my fault for not thoroughly investigating this matter back then. At the next auction, you can pick any good item you want. No, let your partner pick.”

The matter of Yu Suman was something Shen Yunxi had asked her to handle.

At that time, Shen Yunxi was still hiding her claws, biding her time and staying in the shadows. She couldn’t step forward to deal with it herself because if she did, all her previous efforts might have gone to waste, and it could even put Qu Zhen’s family in danger.

After agreeing to help, she had someone look into it and then passed the information to the highest supervisory authority, ensuring that the three members of the wicked Yu family were imprisoned.

Unexpectedly, she had overlooked one detail, and four years later, the Wei family had somehow crossed paths with Qu Zhen again.

She said meaningfully, “President Shen is truly far-sighted and meticulous.”

Shen Yunxi, who had been resting with her eyes closed, paid no attention.

As they drew closer to the city, the car came to a stop in the suburbs. Shen Yunxi coldly got out and re-entered an ordinary black car guarded by her bodyguards, heading in the direction of Xinyu Garden.

As the car sped away, Yan Shuang casually asked Amelia, “Amelia, when did your boss return to Mingqiu County?”

Amelia remained highly professional: “President Yan, that is part of President Shen’s private schedule.”

This conversation was sent to Shen Yunxi’s phone by Amelia just as she arrived at Xinyu Garden. Her steps didn’t falter because of it; instead, she headed straight for the home she and Qu Zhen had built together.

The moment the elevator reached their floor and she stepped into the hallway, she transformed from Shen Yunxi back into Shen Zhikou, the one Qu Zhen loved and who belonged to Qu Zhen.

In her hand, she carried a paper bag containing a gift she had prepared for her little alpha. Instead of using her fingerprint to unlock the door, she pressed the doorbell and waited for Qu Zhen to appear.

The wait lasted only three seconds.

Just as the familiar ache in her head began to resurface and the pain threatened to overwhelm her once more, the door that had kept them apart swung open.