Mistaken ‘O’ is a Crazy Gorgeous Boss - Chapter 76

“Zhenzhen, I’ve always thought you’re super lucky. Maybe you really are a reincarnated koi fish.”

“Seriously, when will I ever be as lucky as Xiao Zhen? I don’t even need to be completely the same, half would be enough!”

“Xiao Zhen must have been blessed by Guanyin’s nectar.”

As Shen Zhikou’s voice echoed in her ears, Qu Zhen suddenly recalled her roommates’ words. Only now did she fully understand that all that so-called luck actually stemmed from Shen Zhikou’s love.

She had always been protected, cherished, and loved by Shen Zhikou.

All the unexpected moments, coincidences, and surprises had blossomed from Shen Zhikou’s affection. It turned out that long before she realized it, someone had already built a glass greenhouse for her.

Gazing at Shen Zhikou’s slightly reddened eyes, she could no longer hold back and pulled her even closer. Yet neither embraces nor kisses could fully convey her emotions. She kissed away the faint tears at the corners of her eyes, her breathing slightly hurried, until her own eyes reddened instead.

“Sister.”

“Sister.”

She called out to her again and again, her eyes aching unbearably: “I knew nothing about any of this. I’m sorry.”

Shen Zhikou looked at her and said word by word: “I don’t want apologies. I want you to stay by my side forever.”

What she truly wanted to say was that she wanted her to love her, but matters of the heart were the hardest to grasp. She hadn’t revealed these things to elicit the girl’s emotional response; she was merely stating, from her own perspective, the deepest secrets hidden by someone who had loved in silence, letting her know what exactly the secret between them was.

She could wait. In the passing years, she had already become adept at waiting. It was enough that the girl said she would always like her, only like her, and stay with her forever. From fondness to love was merely a transition from a babbling brook to a vast ocean, they had a whole lifetime ahead, and she could always wait.

Perhaps it was because she was still in the lingering aftermath of her nest-building phase, the air carried a faint fragrance of lily of the valley, enticing the hyacinths to intertwine and overflow as well.

Qu Zhen gazed back at her, took her right hand, and pressed a kiss to the back of it.

Just as in the past, when she built sandcastles for He Yu and firmly told the little creature beside her that it was a puppy. Time flew like an arrow; the little puppy knight had grown up a lot, her delicate features resembling a misty rain becoming more mature. Yet she had always guarded the princess in the castle, like ivy twining around its base.

“Sister, I will always stay by your side, take care of you, protect you, and cherish you.”

“Sister, you should know, even when I was completely unaware of everything, I already liked you so, so much.” She bit her lip, a little shy as she added, “This affection came fiercely and runs as deep as the sea. Sometimes even I find it surprising, but upon reflection, it makes perfect sense.”

Meeting Shen Zhikou’s gaze, she kissed her lips again, pulling back after a brief taste before the rest of her words spilled out.

“Did Sister just ask me if I’ve truly forgiven you completely?”

“Mm.” The kitten’s eyes widened, her nervousness undiminished. “Zhenzhen, have you forgiven me?”

“No.”

The kitten’s heart clenched. “Then you-”

The puppy, who had planned this on purpose, covered the kitten’s mouth. “If you’re asking if I’ve forgiven you one hundred percent, then of course not, because I want Sister to do some things with me. Once they’re all done, the remaining 0.1% of unforgiveness will turn into forgiveness.”

She never thought she would ever act coquettishly again, but after meeting Shen Zhikou, she had to admit that sometimes she really did.

Like now, she nuzzled her cheek against Shen Zhikou’s, just like that Chinchilla cat, making Shen Zhikou curl her fingers uncontrollably, the smile at the corner of her lips growing even brighter.

“Alright. I promise Zhenzhen.”

“Aren’t you even going to ask what it is before agreeing so easily?”

Shen Zhikou was always so indulgent: “Mm.”

“So cute.” Qu Zhen chuckled. “You’re my little kitten!”

“You’re the only one who would describe me that way.” Shen Zhikou brushed her finger over Qu Zhen’s small dimple. “Actually… I’m quite happy.”

“Oh? Then I’ll praise the little kitten more.”

Shen Zhikou’s ears flushed pink. “Didn’t the Cat Queen tell you?”

“The Cat Queen told me a lot of things, but she’s very good at playing hide-and-seek, so she must still be hiding something else.”

Shen Zhikou blinked. Her eyelashes were long, and when she looked intently at Qu Zhen, her gaze was always especially tender.

Suddenly, the light blue soft blanket was lifted, and the bashful little kitten pulled the little puppy under the covers. As the space grew cramped and their breaths nearly mingled, the kitten, with her ears drooping, abruptly said:

“It’s just… when I first realized I liked you, I actually did the same as you, I bought some books about love to read.”

The little kitten curled up in the little puppy’s embrace, her eyes sparkling like stars. “The feeling of liking someone was too unfamiliar to me, and there were times when I felt caught off guard. It was my first time falling for someone, and she was a girl six years younger than me. I always felt… I should be more proactive.”

“Those bestsellers are actually quite similar. After reading four or five, I pretty much understood the core ideas of all of them.”

The sharp little puppy caught something off: “Four or five?”

“Alright, it was more than just a few.” The little kitten confessed honestly. “Actually, it was a lot of books and materials.”

“Naughty kitten.” The little puppy nibbled on her jade-like earlobe. “But I love it so much.”

The unusually bashful little kitten continued, “The books said that when you find everything someone does adorable, it’s actually a sign that you’re deeply infatuated. Back then, I observed you, and I thought everything you did was adorable. Feeding stray cats and dogs after school was adorable, smiling happily after getting good grades was adorable, helping a stranger carry her groceries upstairs even when you were almost late was adorable, and even the way you cried while watching a horror movie was adorable.”

“That’s how I knew I liked you, so hearing you call me… adorable too, it made me really happy.”

“Hearing you say these things really makes me happy, but I want to explain something.” The little puppy, who actually hadn’t been scared to tears, explained softly, “I wasn’t crying because the horror movie scared me. It was just that when I opened the drink cap, the cola splashed all over my face and even got into my eyes. It was so uncomfortable I couldn’t help but cry.”

She emphasized, “It was a physiological reaction. I’m really not scared of horror movies.”

Shen Zhikou curved her lips and kissed the corner of her eye. “But Zhenzhen crying really looked adorable, so adorable it made me want to tease you.”

“Who teases whom is still up for debate.”

As soon as the words fell, the corner of the quilt slipped from their heads, and their vision widened once more. Qu Zhen gently touched the hairband and ear accessories atop Shen Zhikou’s head, while her other hand’s fingertips brushed against the red string tied around her wrist.

“Sister, why did you suddenly wear these?”

“Because I wanted to make you happy,” Shen Zhikou whispered. “It’s been a long time since we’ve fulfilled our marital duties.”

By the count of time, Qu Zhen had spent three days at Lingshan, five days in a coma at the hospital, and after waking, another week under observation. In the three days after returning to Xinyu Garden, they had only expressed their love through releasing pheromones, kissing, and holding each other, without engaging in more intimate acts. Then, due to the incident in the underground garage, they were separated for another ten days. During the two days of the nesting period, they had only been clingy with kisses and embraces.

Calculating it this way, it had already been a month since they last fulfilled their duties as initially agreed upon.

But Qu Zhen was still cautious. She asked, “Sister, my colleague said that after you found me at Lingshan that day, your physical condition was terrible. What happened?”

“Because of the nesting period,” Shen Zhikou explained. “After falling ill, my estrus and nesting periods have been irregular. Before each nesting period, some special circumstances arise. The doctor has checked, and all indicators and data remain stable. It should just be temporary effects brought on by the nesting period.”

“Will things improve as you slowly get better in the future?”

“Yes. Actually, these special circumstances are already much better than before. Don’t worry. In a few days, I’ll go for another check-up.”

“I’ll go with you.”

Shen Zhikou nodded. “Okay.”

The floral fragrance lingering in the air grew increasingly rich, as if the bedroom had welcomed a shower of blooming flowers.

Shen Zhikou kissed her cheek, and beneath the soft quilt, the tip of her foot lightly brushed against Qu Zhen’s porcelain-like instep. The bell anklet around her ankle suddenly emitted a brief, fleeting chime.

“Zhenzhen.”

“Hmm?”

“You haven’t answered my question yet.”

Qu Zhen responded with action.

Her legally wedded lover was in her arms, so proactive that it was almost an explicit invitation. Of course, she wanted it too. Moreover, the kitten in her nesting period was exceptionally seductive. It was just that Qu Zhen had her reservations, and every time the kitten bewitched her into a daze, she would often drift off to sleep the next moment.

The sound of the silver bell chimed for a long time with their movements. The fluffy white cat ears on the hairband were rubbed until wrinkled, and Qu Zhen’s fingertips never stopped moving. As her teeth sank into the delicate, pinkish gland, heavy snow began to fall outside the window.

At 2:30 a.m., only when the heavy snow had ceased did she carry the drowsy, sleeping Omega to the bathroom.

With the one they loved by their side, they both dreamed sweetly through the night.

…

The next day, Shen Zhikou woke up late.

After waking, she let Qu Zhen help her change clothes and freshen up. Catching sight of her flushed face in the mirror, she tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear and turned to share a minty kiss with Qu Zhen.

The two went to the first-floor dining room for lunch, and in the last ten minutes, Amelia reported the daily affairs of the group as usual.

Before leaving the manor, Amelia smiled at Qu Zhen, seemingly delighted to see the outcome they had reached. Qu Zhen also curved her lips into a smile, then took Shen Zhikou’s hand and walked toward the library.

The outdoors was blanketed in silver, the biting cold piercing to the bone. Shen Zhikou was bundled up by Qu Zhen like a cotton doll, fluffy from head to toe, with only her eyes left uncovered.

As they walked along the bluestone-paved path, Qu Zhen suddenly asked, “Sister, did you name the manor?”

“Yes, I did.”

Qu Zhen didn’t press further but mused thoughtfully, “I used to wonder if there could be a green desert in this world…”

“Zhenzhen.” Shen Zhikou stopped walking. “That’s the reason.”

Qu Zhen blinked. “What?”

“When you were taking care of me in Meixiang Village, one night you came into the room with a book, full of excitement, saying you wanted to see deserts, oases, and oceans.” Shen Zhikou brushed the snow off her shoulder. “You were so curious about the world and asked me if there could be a green desert or a white ocean, just as there are oases in deserts and solitary islands in the sea.”

“That’s how Green Desert Manor got its name.” Shen Zhikou offered a faint smile. “And there really is a green desert and a white sea here. They’ve been waiting for your arrival all along.”

Qu Zhen noticed that her sister seemed to have changed.

After this breakthrough, her sister had become more expressive. Of course, she had been expressive before, but it was always elusive. In recent days, however, her sister held nothing back, and every word made Qu Zhen’s heart flutter uncontrollably.

“Sister has read so many books, so of course you know more than I do.” Her ears flushed red. “I can hardly handle your sweet words. When I hear them, I just want to kiss you.”

Snowflakes drifted down in abundance, and the surroundings were empty, with no one in sight, not even in the distant corridors.

Shen Zhikou didn’t want to let her little girl feel deprived. Holding her hand, she tilted the black umbrella slightly and initiated a long, lingering kiss.

Snow fell on the umbrella’s surface, like moonlight flowing over a dark sea, while beneath the umbrella, the two kissed as if unwilling to part, tender and inseparable.

When they finally separated, Qu Zhen couldn’t help but think that being intimate with someone you love could truly become an addiction. Shen Zhikou was her addiction.

“Peach flavor,” Qu Zhen teased. “Is Sister a peach spirit?”

Shen Zhikou held her hand and continued walking. “What do you think, Zhenzhen?”

Qu Zhen was the one who started the joke, but she was also the one to take it seriously. “No, let’s not. If Sister really were a spirit, then we’d be from different worlds. Even though I’d still love you deeply, human-spirit relationships in dramas are usually tragic and don’t end well. I couldn’t bear to see you suffer, and I want us to be together forever.”

Shen Zhikou, who embodied the word “pamper” to its fullest, replied, “Then I’m not one.”

“Is Sister teasing a child?”

“Just trying to make you happy.”

Qu Zhen wanted to kiss Shen Zhikou again.

They had both diligently studied bestselling relationship books, but Qu Zhen was clearly far less adept at applying the lessons than Shen Zhikou. She didn’t quite understand why and secretly decided to order a few more of the latest and most popular marriage guides to study upon their return.

When they reached the fork in the road leading to the library and the Green Desert and White Sea, Qu Zhen suddenly changed her mind and chose the latter.

Shen Zhikou didn’t ask any questions. After all, her little girl had her own little thoughts, and as the older one, not prying was the best approach.

Green Desert Manor covered an exceptionally vast area, making it the largest private villa in the entire coastal city.

On the final stretch of their journey to their destination, the snowfall intensified, turning the world into a vast expanse of white. The two, having chosen to walk, quickened their pace, hurrying through the snowy landscape.

Arriving at the mysterious viewpoint, Qu Zhen beheld an endless expanse of green desert amidst the vast silver-white landscape. A winding, pure-white ocean was embedded within it, like a fine piece of snow-colored brocade silk.

The green sand shimmered amidst the snowy hues, resembling sparkling emeralds. It stretched from the right side of the rockery corridor, extending all the way to the depths of the clouds, its end unknown.

“Sister,” Qu Zhen widened her eyes, “is this… Su’er Green Crystal?”

“Mm.”

Su’er Green Crystal was an extremely unique type of crystal. Though its market price wasn’t particularly high, its soft yet indestructible nature made it perpetually in short supply. A desert entirely paved with Su’er Green Crystal was virtually unheard of in the country.

“A few years ago, the Yan family discovered a crystal mine overseas. After I purchased it, I had it specially treated and transformed it into a permanent green desert that will never fade with time.”

Shen Zhikou turned her head and asked, “Does Zhenzhen like it?”

This time, Qu Zhen didn’t hesitate. She leaned in and kissed Shen Zhikou, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

“I love it very much. Thank you, sister, for showing me the scene I imagined. Thank you for letting me know that there truly are green deserts and white oceans.”

Holding her entire world in her arms, she thought to herself that she would love her a little more each day. All that affection would gather into deserts and oceans, eventually transforming into an everlasting love.

She loved her, just as she loved her.

…

In the early winter of Haicheng, dusk always arrived swiftly.

As evening fell, Shen Zhikou, in the study of the main building of the estate, received a message from Qu Zhen.

After returning from the green desert and white ocean, her little one had played with the Chinchilla cat for a while, then clung to her affectionately for a moment before mysteriously disappearing for half the day.

Having finished her afternoon meeting, she had been reading in the study, patiently waiting for her message.

The kitten playing nearby seemed to understand that the beautiful human was waiting. It wagged its tail, leaped into her lap, and began kneading her knees while meowing incessantly.

When her phone chimed with a notification, Shen Zhikou read the message and gently stroked the kitten’s soft fur. “I’m going to find Zhenzhen. Do you want to come along?”

“Meow~”

The kitten raised its paw and, for some reason, suddenly performed a set of “kitty punches,” then agilely leaped down and scurried out of the study.

A faint smile tugged at Shen Zhikou’s lips. She put on the warm cloak Qu Zhen had left for her and took the estate’s shuttle to the agreed-upon location.

The library was the first of all the projects to be completed. Both its interior and exterior designs were tailored to Qu Zhen’s preferences, and some of the books inside were priceless treasures. As she stepped through the entrance, the motion-sensor lights flickered on. Shen Zhikou soon spotted a pink sticky note on the first bookshelf on the ground floor.

[Kitty, kitty, have you arrived? If you see this, please head to the second floor! (≧︶≦*)]

A flicker of amusement crossed her eyes as Shen Zhikou followed Qu Zhen’s instructions, venturing deeper inside. With every bookshelf she passed, she found a lily of the valley tucked among the books. Ascending the stairs to the second floor, the warm-toned lighting grew even softer, like the shimmering reflections of a midsummer sunset on water.

The second floor’s decor was strikingly different from the first, leaning more toward an exotic, ethnic style.

This time, there was no sticky note. Instead, placed beside the bookshelf was a photo of the two of them from before. Most of the pictures, however, were solo shots of her, taken with her permission and indulgence by Qu Zhen, who loved capturing moments despite her own reluctance to be photographed.

A hydrogen balloon shimmering with the moon and stars floated at the corner.

Shen Zhikou held onto the balloon, beneath which a colorful ribbon tied a small note. She unfolded it to read, her anticipation tinged with an inexplicable nervousness.

[Hello there, Shen Zhikou from Class 5, Grade 12. I’ll be waiting for you at our usual spot after school. See you then!]

Shen Zhikou was somewhat surprised. Class 5, Grade 12 was the class Qu Zhen had once attended, and from her observations back then, their usual after-school meeting spot had always been under the ginkgo tree at the South Gate.

On the second floor of the library, there was only one place decorated with a bookmark made of ginkgo leaves.

Holding the balloon, she hurried over, weaving through rows of bookshelves as if she were once again breaking through countless obstacles to reach this desperate love.

Her footsteps halted at the far-right area where she could see the green expanse.

The room was brightly lit, filled with the scent of books and paper. At the last row by the window, Shen Zhikou saw her lover, who was six years her junior.

It was a version she had never encountered in her memories.

The elegant alpha wore no makeup, her long hair tied into a ponytail, dressed in a blue-and-white school uniform… as clever and lively as ever.

On the desk lay a mock test booklet of unknown origin, its yellow cover strikingly clear. But Shen Zhikou’s eyes were fixed only on Qu Zhen. As she closed the distance between them to just a step away, the tall alpha suddenly stood up.

Tucked inside the yellow-covered mock test booklet was a pink love letter.

Qu Zhen smiled, her dimples deepening. “Shen Zhikou from Class 5, Grade 12, do you still remember our promise about love?”

“Three days have passed since the college entrance exam ended,” Qu Zhen handed her the love letter, her eyes reflecting Shen Zhikou’s image. “May I ask, Shen, is this promise still valid?”