Mistaken ‘O’ is a Crazy Gorgeous Boss - Chapter 78

On the way to Dai Mountain Estate, Qu Zhen, now aware of the situation, sat in the driver’s seat, occasionally stealing glances at Shen Zhikou beside her.

By the eighty-eighth time she glanced over, Shen Zhikou, who had been surreptitiously observed eighty-eight times, spoke up.

“Zhenzhen, I’m fine.”

She had put on her gold-rimmed glasses, completely emerging from her nesting period, reverting to that snow-like, aloof, and intensely restrained Omega.

Only when meeting Qu Zhen’s gaze would the thin layer of frost around her slightly melt, revealing a touch of warmth.

“Shen Wenxi deserved to die,” Shen Zhikou explained. “In the early years, the Shen family was involved in illegal transactions overseas. However, because it happened abroad, the evidence gathered by the two bureaus was insufficient, and the matter was eventually dropped. Still, their suspicions weren’t misplaced, Shen Wenxi may have escaped the death penalty, but she couldn’t avoid punishment.”

Qu Zhen’s heart tightened. “Do you have evidence, sister?”

“No,” Shen Zhikou said calmly. “Back then, they were very cautious, leaving no traces. Yan Shuang and I stumbled upon it by chance. But with only that little clue, it wasn’t enough to convict.”

A hint of mockery flashed in her eyes. “Besides, four years ago, she had already gone mad, making a conviction even more impossible.”

The bright car headlights cut through the night as the luxury vehicle wound its way along the mountain road. As they passed through a pine forest area, Qu Zhen suddenly remembered something.

Back when Jiang Cheng mentioned at the dinner table that the old family head had gone missing after Shen Yunxi took power, and now the news of her death had come from Lan Yu… so, had Shen Wenxi been taken away by Lan Yu ever since then?

Her hesitation was too obvious, and with just a glance, Shen Zhikou knew what she wanted to ask.

“I personally escorted Shen Wenxi for her examination and witnessed the doctor issuing the medical report. I also allowed Aunt Lan to take her away.” She paused, tapping her index finger against the car door. “Zhenzhen, are you afraid of me?”

“No.”

Qu Zhen pulled the car over to the right, unbuckled her seatbelt, and hugged her. “I’m not afraid of you, sister. I just feel heartache for you. And I’ve said it before, I accept every side of you and love every side of you. So, don’t overthink it.”

She kissed Shen Zhikou’s forehead. “Sister, I only love you.”

Having spoken of the past, Shen Zhikou couldn’t deny that she had felt a sliver of worry.

Qu Zhen’s world was vibrant and colorful. Even though she had experienced traumatic events, it hadn’t derailed her growth. She still possessed a pure, sincere, and kind heart. This was entirely different from Shen Zhikou herself, whose world was murky and gray, its very foundation dark. She had walked through it alone until she caught sight of a bright moon, gazing at it day after day, greedily wishing to hold it in her arms.

But now, as the galaxy tilted and the moon fell irresistibly into her embrace, willing to stay by her side and illuminate her forever, she did everything she could to hide her darker side. Even now, as they faced each other and it became impossible to conceal, she didn’t want to frighten her little moon.

“Thank you,” she replied, kissing Qu Zhen back. “Zhenzhen, thank you.”

Qu Zhen deliberately tried to lighten the mood. “You’re welcome. Next time, don’t say thank you. If the little knight hears it, she won’t be able to focus on her work.”

“What would she do then?”

“She would cover her ears and let her thoughts run wild, growing more anxious and unable to focus on work, until she finally gave up and went to see her Cat Queen.”

Shen Zhikou knew she was joking, but still comforted her: “Don’t overthink it.”

“Okay…” Qu Zhen fell silent, then changed her response: “Woof~”

After pausing for a moment, the car resumed its journey toward their destination. The moonlight was bright, the car window half-lowered, and the snow-covered mountains and fields were a blanket of white. Through the rearview mirror, Shen Zhikou glanced at the receding cityscape. With her companion by her side, a smile rose in her eyes.

…

Arriving at the Dai Mountain Estate, the two followed the old butler to Lan Yu’s study.

Inside the brightly lit mansion, it was so quiet that one could almost hear the fish swimming in the mountain stream. Qu Zhen held Shen Zhikou’s hand, openly displaying their intimacy. Only when they reached the study did they naturally let go and entered side by side.

Seated at the small rosewood antique desk was a woman in a green cheongsam, her head bowed in concentration as she flipped through a book. Her jet-black hair was coiled up with a white jade hairpin, and aside from a pair of jadeite earrings, she wore no other jewelry.

When she raised her head at the sound of their arrival, Qu Zhen thought that Lan Yu, the head of the Lan family,resembled a poised young lady from an old aristocratic family.

Elegant and refined, graceful and serene.

She suddenly understood why people often expressed regret when mentioning Lan Yu and Yun Yun from the past. If they hadn’t experienced what came after, if they hadn’t been separated by life and death, they would likely have been an enviable, fairy-tale couple.

“Aunt Lan,” Shen Zhikou called to her.

Qu Zhen followed suit.

Lan Yu smiled, her innate gentleness fully revealed: “Mm, Koukou and Xiao Zhen are here.”

The old butler withdrew at the appropriate moment, leaving only the three of them in the room. Lan Yu stood and walked toward them, gesturing for them to sit on the sofa. Her gaze lingered for a few seconds on the tall, elegant alpha, and the smile in her eyes deepened, as if she were seeing a long-lost junior.

“For our first meeting, this is the gift Aunt Lan prepared for you.” Lan Yu took a prepared gift box from the drawer and handed it to Qu Zhen. “And a belated ‘Happy Marriage.'”

Qu Zhen smiled somewhat shyly. “Thank you, Aunt Lan.”

“You’re welcome,” Lan Yu said softly. “May you share a lifetime of happiness and remain united in heart.”

“We certainly will.”

Lan Yu curved her lips and turned to Shen Zhikou. “Her heart stopped at 8:20 tonight. She’ll be sent to the crematorium soon. Do you want to see her one last time?”

“No need.”

“Before she died, she begged the butler to scatter her ashes… beside Yun Yun’s grave. What are your thoughts on that, Koukou?”

Shen Zhikou’s gaze was as cold as a blade. “How could she be worthy?”

“Scatter them in the Shen family burial mountain,” she said indifferently, without a trace of emotion. “I won’t let her have her way.”

Lan Yu responded gently, “Alright.”

The chill in the air temporarily receded. After a moment of silence, Shen Zhikou asked quietly, “Aunt Lan, have you taken your medicine tonight?”

“Good child.” Lan Yu covered Shen Zhikou’s hand with her own, reassuring her. “I’ve taken it. With you and Xiao Shuang reminding me every day, how could I forget? But you… you look thinner than you did a week ago. You need to take care of yourself to recover properly.”

Hearing this, Qu Zhen felt a pang of guilt.

“I’ll be more careful, Aunt Lan. Please don’t worry.”

“Lan Yu hinted, ‘You must be tired from the journey. I’ll have the housekeeper take you to your room to rest. For now, let Xiao Zhen stay and chat with Aunt Lan for a while, alright?'”

Shen Zhikou didn’t hesitate; she knew this was an unavoidable part of the trip.

Qu Zhen also nodded.

“Then I’ll go. Aunt Lan, you should rest early too.”

“Good night.”

The walnut-colored study door opened and closed again, reducing the number of people in the room. Qu Zhen looked up and met Lan Yu’s gaze, feeling more and more that she was not photogenic, the media photos online didn’t capture even a third of her real-life elegance.

“No need to be nervous. Aunt Lan just wants to talk with you.” Lan Yu smiled, the fine lines at the corners of her eyes not diminishing her charm. “Actually, I’ve wanted to meet you before, but I didn’t want to worry or upset Koukou, so we never had a formal meeting.”

“I already know about the past,” Qu Zhen said. “Thank you, Aunt Lan, for helping and taking care of her.”

Lan Yu shook her head. “No need to thank me. Sometimes I blame myself for appearing too late, for not bringing Koukou to my side sooner.”

“Koukou has a very cold personality, but the former servants of the Shen family told me she wasn’t like that when she was very young. She resembles her mother about sixty percent in appearance, and her childhood personality was quite similar too.” Mentioning that person, a hint of nostalgia shimmered in her eyes. “She was lively and adorable, always asking ‘why’, a curious child.”

Through the cat queen during the nesting period, Qu Zhen had vaguely guessed a little.

“You also know why she became like this. She rose too quickly, too sharply, and the outside world spread many false rumors about her.” Lan Yu poured her a cup of tea. “Aunt Lan wants to tell you that although Koukou’s personality has changed, she is still a kind-hearted child.”

“At Green Desert Manor, there’s an employee dormitory where all the residents are deaf-mute employees with congenital disabilities. Koukou pays them four times the standard market wage, and she also regularly supports all the orphanages and deaf-mute schools in Haicheng.”

Qu Zhen had spent so little time there that she hadn’t noticed this at all.

Only during that evening trip to the library, she had seen a mute beta gardener in the front garden. As she passed by, the gardener stopped and smiled at her, greeting her with sign language.

During her four years of university, she had also participated in volunteer activities at special needs schools, so she had learned a little sign language. She immediately smiled back and greeted the gardener in sign language as well.

But she hadn’t paid much attention to it, hurrying past the garden to the library.

“Early on, the director of a deaf-mute orphanage once helped her with something.”

Qu Zhen understood.

“Aunt Lan, I won’t misunderstand her because of unfounded rumors. I trust her deeply and will always stand firmly by her side,” she affirmed.

“It’s Aunt Lan overthinking things.” Lan Yu continued, “Back then, I was the one who took Shen Wenxi away, confined her to the back hills of Dai Mountain, and performed a gland removal surgery on her due to her cancer, letting the trapped pheromones torment her day and night for two years.”

“Performing gland resection surgery for cancer is the best recommendation given by modern medical development,” Qu Zhen said word by word. “Evildoers reap their just rewards, this is her retribution in this life.”

Outside the window, the night deepened, and the natural light in the study was dim. Lan Yu, as gentle as orchids and chrysanthemums, studied the younger woman across from her, her gaze filled with a smiling light.

“Xiao Zhen, you are even more suitable for Koukou than I imagined.”

Hearing this, Qu Zhen suddenly felt a bit shy and replied, “I’m happy to hear you say that.”

“It’s late, go rest. She’s still waiting for you.”

Qu Zhen didn’t hesitate: “Mm, goodnight, Aunt Lan. You should rest early too.”

“Goodnight.”

The spacious study suddenly became very quiet, and the painting hanging on the center of the right wall was particularly eye-catching. Lan Yu, sitting alone by the sofa, removed the white jade hairpin from her hair. Her thumb brushed over the flawless jade surface, her slender figure appearing incredibly lonely in that moment.

No one knew that the white jade hairpin often worn in the Lan family head’s hair had been given away by the person who once bought it thirty years ago.

She lowered her gaze to the end of the hairpin, where the color had begun to fade quietly with the passage of time. Yet her memories of that person remained as fresh as ever because she often revisited them.

As the light outside the window flickered with the heavy snowfall, she murmured almost inaudibly.

“…Thirty years.”

So, she had already lost her for thirty years.

…

Following the butler to the guest room, Qu Zhen spotted a snowman in the center of the courtyard, holding a carrot in its left hand and a stick of candied hawthorn in its right.

The old butler noticed her slowing pace and said kindly, “This snowman was made for Miss Shen.”

Qu Zhen was surprised: “Aunt Lan made it for sister?”

“Yes.” The old butler explained, “Even if today’s incident hadn’t happened, Madam Lan would have invited you over for a meal tomorrow.”

Qu Zhen nodded: “Aunt Lan did a great job with the snowman.”

The butler said no more, accompanying her as she paused for a minute before leading her to the guest room and bidding her farewell with a smile.

The interior was different from what Qu Zhen had imagined. It didn’t look like a room prepared for guests but more like a bedroom carefully arranged by the host for a beloved child, filled with thoughtful little details everywhere.

She found Shen Zhikou by the floor-to-ceiling window, walked over, and embraced her from behind.

“Sister.” She held her hand, only relaxing when she felt no coldness. “What are you looking at?”

“Looking at-”

Shen Zhikou turned her head and kissed her: “Waiting for you.”

“My heart is racing.” Qu Zhen said earnestly, “It seems to be beating even faster. Huh, my ears are a little red too.”

After saying that, she added seriously, “Can I have some of the books and materials you’ve read before?”

“They’re in the study.” Shen Zhikou held her hand in return. “Shall we study together when we go back?”

“But sister has already graduated with full marks, and I only scored sixty-five.” Indulged, Qu Zhen became increasingly bold. “I want to study secretly without you knowing.”

“Then I’ll be responsible for checking up on little Zhen.”

The just-passing student Qu Zhen could only concede: “Alright.”

The temperature in Daishan was even lower. Outside the window, the world was covered in ice and snow, as if it were a different season from the warm indoors. Qu Zhen held the soft little cat in her arms, suddenly tilted her head, and gently nibbled her ear, whispering.

“Definitely not a bad little cat.”

Shen Zhikou, who had taken off her glasses after returning to the room, asked, “What?”

“I said, in my heart, sister is the best person.” Qu Zhen played with her hand. “I only like sister.”

Since starting over, Shen Zhikou often heard Qu Zhen say things like this. Just on the drive to Daishan tonight, she had said it twenty-three times, but Shen Zhikou never grew tired of it. In fact, in the car, she had secretly recorded it three times.

“Me too,” she would always reply. “I only like Zhenzhen.”

“Another kiss.”

After another long, lingering kiss, even Qu Zhen herself found it a bit unbelievable. She never thought she could be so clingy, especially since after the glass greenhouse shattered, she had become much more independent and reserved.

But she loved being this honest and clear about her feelings to Shen Zhikou. And within Shen Zhikou’s overwhelming love, she had transformed from being shy, reserved, and hesitant to approach, to becoming increasingly happy, proactive, and even eager to get closer.

She really loves her little kitten, she thought.

Fluttering snowflakes settled among the jade-like branches, and the two of them whispered softly, exchanging their thoughts and affections. Gazing at the distant snow-capped mountains, Qu Zhen suddenly remembered something.

“Sister, did you used to celebrate the New Year with Aunt Lan?”

“No,” Shen Zhikou led her to sit on the cloud-shaped sofa. “She would call and ask, but I always refused before.”

“Aunt Lan is a very kind person. Many of the younger generation in the Lan family adore her, and they invite her over every New Year or go back to their hometown together for a reunion. After all, I’m not related to her by blood, and before… I always felt like I had made many mistakes. If it weren’t for Shen Wenxi, if it weren’t for me, my mother and her would have been a perfect match.”

Qu Zhen looked at her gently. “Sister, you haven’t done anything wrong. Those who try to blame you are the ones at fault. And Aunt Lan doesn’t think that way at all, she cares about you deeply and treats you as her own child.”

“Zhenzhen.”

“Hmm?” Qu Zhen kissed her cheek. “This year’s New Year is so early. How about we invite Aunt Lan to celebrate with us in Mingqiu County? Or would you prefer to bring your mom and the others to Haicheng for the New Year?”

After a very brief silence, Shen Zhikou replied, “Let’s go back to Mingqiu County for the New Year. I’ll ask Aunt Lan tomorrow if she has any other plans. If not, I’ll see if she’d like to come with us.”

“Okay.” Qu Zhen asked, “Do you think my suggestion is too overstepping?”

“I saw the snowman in the courtyard tonight, and I had the same thought before you even mentioned it.” Shen Zhikou kissed her. “And…”

Along with the warm kiss came Qu Zhen’s fluttering heart and a perfect response.

“The word ‘overstepping’ doesn’t exist here,” a voice as melodious as a forest spring whispered by her ear. “, In my world, you hold supreme authority. Doing as you please is entirely within the rules.”