Mistaken ‘O’ is a Crazy Gorgeous Boss - Chapter 62

It had been exactly one month since the internship ended.

After returning home from a walk, Qu Zhen received a salary deposit in her bank account. Deducting the week of her rut period, the total amount credited was 6,500 yuan.

She glanced at the message and immediately told Shen Zhikou, a smile curling at the corners of her eyes, her delicate appearance resembling a blooming white camellia.

“What does Zhenzhen want to buy?”

Qu Zhen shook her head. “Sister, I have everything I need. There’s no need to add anything else.”

“That’s not good.”

Qu Zhen asked, puzzled, “Why is it not good?”

The two sat on the sofa, not particularly close to each other. The TV was on at a moderate volume, but Qu Zhen still caught every word Shen Zhikou said.

“The little one at home has earned her first bucket of gold.” Shen Zhikou met her gaze calmly. “She deserves a little reward.”

Qu Zhen’s cheeks began to flush.

Her sister always managed to say things that deeply moved her without batting an eye, some words tender and ambiguous, others straightforward and clear. It was a skill she could never master, no matter how many romance novels or marriage guides she read.

In their daily interactions, Qu Zhen was like a monochrome ink wash painting, while Shen Zhikou initially resembled a sketch but, upon deeper understanding, revealed herself as a richly colored oil painting. As the pigments spread and blended, even someone as reserved as Shen Zhikou could become vibrant and lively.

But Qu Zhen didn’t know that this vibrant side of Shen Zhikou was revealed only to her.

“Is the reward only the kind Sister mentioned?” she asked.

A hint of amusement flickered in Shen Zhikou’s eyes. The little one, who usually stuffed all the candies into her pockets, had actually learned to ask for sweets on her own tonight.

“Not just that,” she replied, her breath as faint as an orchid’s fragrance. “You can have any reward you want.”

Whoosh!

Qu Zhen moved closer, closing the distance between them completely. She tilted her head and captured Shen Zhikou’s lips, savoring their sweetness before ending the kiss.

As she pulled away, she gently pecked them once more.

Her eyes curved into crescents, as if she had already received the best gift. “I got my reward.”

The aftermath of asking for a reward didn’t unfold as she had expected. Instead of being stunned by the stolen kiss, Shen Zhikou lifted Qu Zhen’s chin with her fingertips, her starlit eyes brimming with unmistakable amusement.

“Is that all?”

Qu Zhen seemed to have question marks floating above her head.

“Zhenzhen,” Shen Zhikou’s hand moved to caress her lips. “We haven’t fulfilled our marital duties this week.”

Qu Zhen’s already warm cheeks instantly flushed crimson, and her long, curly eyelashes fluttered.

In the past, she had no interest in such matters and had only studied those materials to give Shen Zhikou a better experience. But after her rut period, as their relationship deepened, she sometimes found herself wanting to take the initiative and be intimate with Shen Zhikou. However, she had held back, worried that she had been too rough during her rut, and kept those thoughts hidden away.

But now, faced with Shen Zhikou’s initiative, she responded without hesitation.

Carrying the Omega in her arms back to the master bedroom, she released her pheromones to soothe her. The sound of the door closing echoed, concealing the springtime scene within.

…

For the next three days, Haicheng remained overcast, accompanied by light rain.

Busy preparing for the interview and assessment, Qu Zhen occasionally felt nervous because she wasn’t from a related field, staying up late every night to study until one o’clock. The happiest part of her day before bed was Shen Zhikou cheering her on.

The magical kitten’s way of encouragement was different from the usual.

The kitten would cling to her, kiss her, hug her, and gently coax her with soft words, praising her and filling her with courage on this unknown path.

On the weekend, Qu Zhen dressed formally and wore light makeup. Holding Shen Zhikou’s hand, who had accompanied her to the interview, she gazed with longing at the Haicheng Archaeological Research Center.

There weren’t many people around, and the two individuals on the right, like them, were curiously observing the center’s exhibits. Among them were some freshly unearthed artifacts, and Qu Zhen quietly explained the uses of the cultural relics in the display cases to Shen Zhikou.

When the scheduled time of 9:30 arrived, Qu Zhen let go of Shen Zhikou’s hand and prepared to head to the interview room.

Before leaving, Shen Zhikou, wearing a mask, asked, “Are you starting to feel nervous?”

Qu Zhen shook her head. “With you here, I won’t be nervous anymore.”

She meant it. From the moment she decided to give it a try to now, Shen Zhikou had always encouraged her, transforming her from a deflated balloon into a fully inflated, glowing hydrogen balloon.

She no longer felt nervous, at least not at that moment.

“Mm, I’ll wait for you outside.” Shen Zhikou gently tucked the stray hairs behind Qu Zhen’s ear. “Good luck, Zhenzhen.”

Qu Zhen pursed her lips, her clenched hands loosening as if she had made a somewhat shy decision.

Finally, she said, “I will. See you after the interview, sis.”

“Okay.”

Shen Zhikou stayed where she was, watching Qu Zhen’s back until it disappeared at the end of the corridor. Only then did she withdraw her gaze and sit quietly in the waiting area, waiting for her little girl to return to her side.

…

The sky gradually changed.

Inside the interview room, Qu Zhen sat upright, answering questions. Her test paper had already been submitted, and three examiners sat across from her. One was an archaeological team member she had seen on the official website, while the other two were internal administrative staff.

“Graduated from C University with a law degree, and your last job was at Shengcan Venture Capital?” The female beta from the archaeological team narrowed her eyes. “I remember a lawyer from Shengcan Venture Capital was investigated last week. Is your resignation related to that?”

Qu Zhen truthfully explained the entire situation.

The other two examiners exchanged glances, and the female alpha in the middle said, “You graduated from a prestigious university with excellent academic performance. You could have continued to rise steadily at Shengcan, yet you gave up a high-paying, permanent position to start from scratch in another field. I admire your courage. Your test answers were excellent, and the Archaeological Research Center needs talent like you. However, procedures must be followed. Please accompany us to the simulated observation point for an on-site assessment.”

“Okay.”

An hour had already passed, longer than Qu Zhen had expected. But what surprised her was that, even with the increased salary and additional benefits, there were still relatively few applicants for the contract positions.

Perhaps sensing her confusion, the female beta from the archaeology team explained before leading her into the simulation room, “This year, most archaeology students from the prestigious universities in Haicheng have gone to the established archaeology institutes. Our research center has limited spots, and this recruitment was quite urgent. Although the requirements were somewhat flexible, there are still very few people who meet all the conditions, so what you’re seeing is normal.”

Qu Zhen nodded. “Thank you, I understand.”

The door to the simulation room slid open, revealing a space filled with cutting-edge instruments that exuded an inexplicable chill. The female beta adjusted the equipment, and through STRI projection, an incredibly lifelike image appeared on the virtual screen.

To be precise, it was an image of a residential site ruin. In an instant, the two of them felt as if they were standing right there.

“You mentioned you have field archaeology experience, so next, please proceed with the detailed operations.”

“Okay.”

This filled Qu Zhen with immense delight. She felt like a bird freed from its cage, soaring toward the sky that belonged to her. Having worked at four long-term archaeological sites, she was quite adept at handling such test scenarios.

She carefully considered the situation, delineating excavation squares based on the actual conditions of the ruins, establishing coordinate base points, partition ridges, key pillars, and more. Her confident performance throughout gave the impression that she was a student majoring in archaeology.

The observing female beta grew increasingly satisfied, even nodding unconsciously.

…

In the quiet waiting area, Shen Zhikou remained the only person there.

A potted nandina plant stood beside the chair. She glanced at it absentmindedly before returning her gaze to her phone screen.

Her wallpaper was a photo of her and Qu Zhen taken on Star Island, and her WeChat chat background was a solo picture of Qu Zhen, which she had taken two days ago while Qu Zhen was studying.

In the photo, Qu Zhen sat at her desk, holding a pen in one hand and flipping through pages with the other, looking every bit the diligent, focused student. It reminded Shen Zhikou of when she was eighteen.

Back then, the young girl was fully immersed in preparing for the college entrance exams. Dressed in a blue-and-white school uniform and white canvas shoes, with her hair tied in a high ponytail, she was youthful, innocent, and full of vitality. Whenever she passed the poplar trees near the school and spotted the orange cat from the shop across the street, she would always smile, revealing that small dimple of hers.

Lost in the memory, she exited WeChat and opened a hidden encrypted folder.

Inside the folder were six encrypted albums. She clicked into the second one, titled “18,” and began flipping through the photos one by one, just as she had in the past when she yearned for something she couldn’t have.

In the gallery, Qu Zhen was sometimes buying breakfast at a morning stall, sometimes feeding stray cats after school, and sometimes riding her bicycle home alone. Almost every photo was candid, Qu Zhen was always occupied with something else, completely unaware of the camera.

Shen Zhikou’s finger paused on a night scene photo. She stared at it, lost in thought, until Jin Ling’s incoming call snapped her back to reality. She swiped to answer.

On the other end, Jin Ling cheerfully called out, “Sister Yunxi.”

“Mm.”

Jin Ling chuckled. “My cousin still hasn’t found Sister Shutang. No one knows where she went. Sister Yunxi, where are you? Can I come find you to hang out?”

Shen Zhikou cut straight to the point. “Did Yan Shuang ask you to call me?”

“No, no. It wasn’t my cousin’s idea. It was me-”

Shen Zhikou has little patience for others. She is the frost and snow that knows no summer, the sharpened blade honed to a fine edge, and the lover whom Qu Zhen treasures above all else. Her only tenderness, patience, and indulgence are reserved for Qu Zhen.

When dealing with others, she is always direct: “What did she send you to ask?”

Jin Ling didn’t hesitate to spill everything: “Yes, it was my cousin trying to pull a fast one. She couldn’t find any trace of Shutang, so she threatened me into trying to get information from you. If I didn’t help her, she’d tell my mom I skipped work. So, mean! So despicable! She’s ruthless!”

“I don’t know.”

“Sister Yunxi, even you don’t know?” Despite accusing Yan Shuang of being ruthless, Jin Ling instinctively defended her cousin, “My cousin, that old fox, used to be a bit foolish, did some stupid things, and spoke without thinking. But she really misses Shutang, and Sister Yunxi, you know it too, she actually really likes Shutang.”

“When she came back, she locked herself in her room, and when she came out, her eyes were red.” Jin Ling said with absolute certainty, “She must have cried from sadness.”

Shen Zhikou fell silent for a moment.

Jin Ling pleaded softly, “My cousin has deeply realized her mistakes. She’s also sending people to search urgently because she’s really worried about Shutang. Sister Yunxi, could you give just a little hint? Just a tiny bit?”

Shen Zhikou didn’t believe a single word of it and suspected Yan Shuang might be right beside Jin Ling at that moment.

She said, “After she left Mingqiu County, I haven’t had any news of her either.”

Jin Ling made a surprised sound, “Then where could Shutang have gone?”

“Jin Ling.”

“Yes! I’m here, Sister Yunxi!”

“Thank you for the ring.” Shen Zhikou’s expression remained indifferent. “As for the rest, tell Yan Shuang: perhaps what seems far away is actually right under her nose.”

“Yay! You’re welcome, I’m so happy I could help Sister Yunxi!”

She didn’t disturb further. Shen Zhikou hung up the phone, closed the photo album, and sat as if resting with her eyes closed. After a while, she picked up her phone again and opened a locked, hidden memo.

[Puppy Observation Diary]

1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. She adds an extra spoonful of sugar when drinking milk.

1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. She does eye exercises before bed, so well-behaved.

1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. She prefers pink lady apples. We’ll buy those from now on.

1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. Her sense of direction is weak, must hold her hand tightly when outside.

1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. She instinctively closes her eyes every time we kiss, don’t startle her.

…

9. 9. 9. 9. 9. 9. 9. 9. After a temporary mark during her sensitive period, she turns into a mischievous puppy, needs extra comforting.

A faint smile flickered in her eyes as she edited the blank space to add the tenth entry.

10. 10. 10. 10. 10. 10. 10. 10. When she’s nervous, she wants to kiss me, so adorable. Next time, I’ll tell her I feel the same.