Mistaken ‘O’ is a Crazy Gorgeous Boss - Chapter 61

They arrived at the cafeteria quite late, and their spot was relatively secluded, so there were no colleagues from other departments around.

Tang Qian’s voice was loud, drawing the attention of the employees from the shop at the far end. Among them, a blonde female employee wearing a mask also watched the two with keen interest.

Qu Zhen, caught in the middle, grew increasingly cold-faced. Her thin lips pressed tightly together, and her eyes darkened.

“You claim the ring I’m wearing is a fake. Where did you get this information? Has it been verified by an authoritative institution? Or do you have such sharp eyes that you can tell its authenticity at a glance?” she retorted sharply. “If you possess such a skill, your name should be listed among jewelry experts, shouldn’t it?”

She could endure Tang Qian, Xiang Ting, and others’ dissatisfaction, disgust, and veiled sarcasm directed at her, but she could not tolerate anyone slandering or defaming Shen Zhikou. In the face of such attacks and harm, she naturally and firmly stood by her lover’s side.

This was the first time Tang Qian had seen this side of Qu Zhen, and coupled with the pressure from an alpha of a different level, she suddenly felt flustered. But words spoken were like water spilled, impossible to take back. As a law student, she was well aware of this principle.

Noticing the gazes from the two employees of the side shop, Tang Qian inexplicably mustered some confidence. She swallowed and met Qu Zhen’s gaze without showing any fear.

“Xiang Ting told me. Her family has relatives in the jewelry business, so she’s been exposed to it a lot. During our first week at work, she noticed that the ring you were wearing was fake because she recognized the emblem of that jewelry brand. She said the ring on your finger would cost at least eight figures.” Tang Qian rebutted unequivocally. “How could an intern like you afford something like that? Is it so hard to admit you’re wearing a fake? It might be a little embarrassing, but it’s better than being exposed in front of everyone later, isn’t it?”

After the emotional turmoil, Qu Zhen’s composure returned to a calm state.

She analyzed the situation unhurriedly, “If she told you this during our first week, then over the past month of working together, she must have mentioned it to many others, right? Perhaps she even brought it up in the company’s anonymous gossip group. What about you? Have you done the same?”

Her reasoning was so clear that she seemed more like the one posing questions than the one being questioned. Without sparing Tang Qian another glance, she calmly picked up her tray, though the sharpness in her voice was unmistakable.

“Article 237 of the New Civil Code stipulates that intentional defamation and slander are punishable based on the severity of the circumstances. If a post within a specific organization receives over 300 views or shares, it constitutes a serious case of defamation, punishable by detention, control, or fixed-term imprisonment. If it exceeds 100 but is under 200, it can still result in a week of detention and a fine of 5,000 yuan.”

The ring gleamed brilliantly under the sunlight as Qu Zhen declared firmly, “Moreover, after the revision of the company’s internal disciplinary rules, any form of rumor-mongering or defamation is explicitly prohibited. Those who knowingly violate this will face penalties such as salary deductions, suspension without pay, or even termination, depending on the severity. I don’t want to waste any more time with you here. Every step of the due process will be followed from now on.”

With that, she turned and walked away briskly, her tall figure standing firm like a reef in the sea, unyielding against wind, rain, and the ebb and flow of the tides.

Left behind, Tang Qian grew increasingly furious and humiliated compared to the composed Qu Zhen. Her face flushed red like a clown’s, and she could no longer maintain even a facade of politeness. She grabbed the drink she hadn’t taken a sip of and threw it straight into the trash can, where it collided with the bottom, producing a loud crash.

She hadn’t expected Qu Zhen, who usually seemed as soft as a persimmon, to have such a sharp edge, even daring to threaten formal procedures. Furious, Tang Qian laughed bitterly, a faint sense of dread creeping in, making her curse Xiang Ting inwardly.

A sudden thought crossed her mind, and she began to doubt whether what Xiang Ting had said was even true.

Just then, a blonde female employee who had been watching nearby let out a muffled chuckle.

To Tang Qian’s ears, it was dripping with mockery. She looked up toward the source of the sound, scrutinizing the woman and confirming she was just an ordinary shop employee. Like a provoked beast, Tang Qian snapped, “What are you laughing at? Laugh again, and I’ll file an internal complaint against you.”

She spoke with confidence, as if victory was assured: “All employees in the cafeteria shops face investigations and penalties when complained about. If you’re not afraid of losing your job, go ahead and laugh.”

The muffled laughter grew louder, and the blonde employee’s shoulders shook as if she had just heard the most ridiculous joke.

Tang Qian’s expression hardened. She pulled out her phone, ready to file the complaint, when the employee removed her mask, revealing a face as fresh as a lotus emerging from water, and lit a rose-scented cigarette.

“Complain about me? Go ahead,” she said with a laugh, her golden hair swaying. “But I have a bad temper, not even half the patience of that alpha from earlier.”

Tang Qian sensed something amiss; the woman’s attitude was far too arrogant. She glanced at another employee nearby, who stood indifferently by the blonde woman’s side, wearing a mask and acting as if nothing was happening.

“Last time, I accidentally broke my mom’s precious antique, so she sent me here to work part-time. It was actually kind of fun, but you… you want to complain about me?” The woman flicked her cigarette ash, her gaze lowering. “Sure. All the skyscrapers in this area belong to my family. Why don’t we see who gets kicked out first?”

As soon as she finished speaking, six bodyguards in black emerged from the surroundings, clearly there to protect the blonde woman. The female employee beside her stared coldly, her gaze sharp as an unsheathed blade, as if she could pierce through Tang Qian at any moment.

Realizing the situation, Tang Qian froze in place, feeling as though thorns were pricking her back and a fishbone was stuck in her throat.

As if the woman didn’t find it entertaining enough, she extinguished her rose-scented cigarette and slowly walked over to Tang Qian, her eyes fixed on her shoes.

“And one more thing, you and that… Ting, was it? Maybe you should visit an ophthalmologist. How could that ring be worth eight figures? Just the blue diamond alone is nine figures. Did you mix it up with some no-name jewelry brand’s logo?”

She grinned, revealing her canine teeth, her tone playful. “Besides, aren’t you the one wearing fake shoes? You hid it well, no one noticed. But what kind of mindset drives you to attack an alpha wearing the real deal?”

Tang Qian tried to explain, “No! It’s not like that!”

“How foolish,” the woman said with pity. “You’ve provoked someone you shouldn’t have.”

Tang Qian trembled all over, unable to comprehend how things had escalated to this point.

She admitted she had acted out of selfishness. That day, when she stepped into the office, she had indeed heard Xu Qingqing’s cries for help. But what did that have to do with her? Besides, she couldn’t be sure whether Xu Qingqing had seduced Cao Yuan first and was now trying to extort him by playing the victim.

After weighing her options, she decided to pretend she hadn’t heard anything. This way, she could protect herself while also pleasing Cao Yuan. In the future, when it came to promotions, Cao Yuan would surely give her an extra boost because of this win-win situation.

She had it all planned out perfectly. As she turned to leave, she could already envision the scene of her promotion, the generous bonus and the envious gazes of everyone around her.

But,

Out of nowhere, that meddling Qu Zhen had disrupted all her plans, arrogantly swooping in as if she were some kind of savior. Tang Qian had tried every way to keep them under control, but she never expected… they would be so stubborn, ultimately succeeding in getting Cao Yuan arrested.

With the situation taking another turn, and considering various factors, she had taken the initiative to apologize to Qu Zhen and asked her to convey her regrets to Xu Qingqing. In her mind, her sincere attitude would surely earn the forgiveness of those two foolish resignations, and the matter would be smoothly put to rest.

She could still remain at Shengcan Capital, keep her high-paying legal position that was the envy of her peers, and continue her glamorous, promising career as a white-collar professional.

Yet the cheerful female voice that echoed in her ears sent her plummeting into hell.

“Dear, countdown begins.” The blonde woman with a hime-cut hairstyle delivered the final blow like an executioner. “Your sweet dream is about to end.”

Tang Qian, her face ashen, continued to struggle. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry… I was blind, please let me go, I really didn’t mean it…”

The blonde woman paid no attention, humming an English tune as she let Tang Qian exhaust herself. Only when Tang Qian herself realized that her struggles were futile and her insincere apologies were useless did the woman signal her bodyguards to take the long-time rumor-monger to the legal department for internal company handling first.

Quiet returned to the corner of the cafeteria. The woman stretched lazily and reached out to the female employee standing nearby.

“Ice Face, my phone.”

The employee pulled a phone with a pink bunny case from her pocket and handed it over. “Here you go.”

The woman clicked her tongue, not bothering to correct the nickname. “It’s no fun hanging out with you. Handle the situation here for me. I’m off to find Sister Yunxi, wonder if Sister Yan Shuang is in Haicheng. Huh, how come they-”

…

At 5 p.m., after completing the final handover procedures, Qu Zhen had no idea what had happened to Tang Qian since she entered the office.

She didn’t see Tang Qian again before leaving. Her newly appointed supervisor informed her that Tang Qian had been temporarily suspended due to inappropriate remarks and intentional rumor-mongering and defamation in an anonymous group chat. The specifics would require further investigation before a final penalty was decided.

Since messages in the anonymous group were regularly cleared, they couldn’t retrieve the previous chat records, so they couldn’t provide her with direct evidence.

Qu Zhen was somewhat surprised. The cafeteria, being a public area, was equipped with surveillance cameras in every corner, but she hadn’t expected the company to uncover the matter so quickly and deal with it so promptly.

She had originally intended to handle things herself, to protect her beloved.

Upon hearing Tang Qian’s punishment, she expressed understanding to her new supervisor. In a way, the company’s penalty was even harsher than a week in jail. After expressing her gratitude and exchanging pleasantries, she picked up her bag and left the company without a trace of nostalgia, feeling completely at ease as she stepped out of the building where she had worked for a month.

Her figure resembled the upright ginkgo tree beside her, its fallen leaves drifting away with the wind like the past.

Walking briskly toward the familiar car with the license plate matching her birthday, the corners of her lips lifted joyfully, her face radiant with happiness. She tapped on the window and, after getting in, kissed Shen Zhikou.

“So happy?”

“Yes!” Qu Zhen decided to recite a line she had memorized from a book. “Because today is a wonderful day, and my beloved happens to be by my side.”

Shen Zhikou fastened her seatbelt and, before pulling back, kissed her cheek.

“Zhenzhen, your learning speed is astonishing.”

The two exchanged banter: “Probably because I really like you, sis.”

The car drove away from the street, and the evening streetlights and signs were exceptionally bright. They had dinner at a Western restaurant by the river, strolled hand in hand along the ancient path by the water, and Qu Zhen chattered animatedly, like a little bird fluttering around Shen Zhikou.

She never once brought up the matter of the wedding ring, because she firmly believed in her beloved. And in every choice she faced, her first choice would always be Shen Zhikou.

She would never doubt or question Shen Zhikou because of an outsider’s words. She would always, forever, stay by Shen Zhikou’s side and unwaveringly choose her.

Just as she had said before, she would protect her forever.

So, there was no need to mention it, no need to question it.

The night lights illuminated the river’s surface, and the sky was dotted with stars. At a secluded, flower-scented corner, the two shared a tender kiss under the moonlight.