It wasn’t dirty or messy at all.
It was a perfectly exemplary space, like something out of an interior design magazine titled ‘Cool Single Man’s Solo House’.
The walls were white, and all the furniture was arranged in navy or dark blue tones. Not even a speck of dust seemed likely to come out even if swept with a hand.
It wasn’t dirty… just as they said, laid-back.
Sulhee looked around the unusually clean room with wide eyes. As she did, a relaxed cat strolled out from inside the room.
“Teacher Ok, do you keep a cat?”
“Ah, yes.”
Forgetting the initial awkwardness of entering Teacher Ok’s room for the first time, Sulhee hurriedly took off her shoes and ran to the cat. Unlike Sulhee, the cat slowly approached and rubbed its face against her ankle.
A chubby cat with cute yellow stripes. Watching it press its face against her body with its eyes closed in pleasure, Teacher Ok murmured.
“This guy is usually very shy. Seems like he likes you, Sulhee.”
“Really?”
Sulhee was thrilled that the cat, still unfamiliar to her compared to dogs, liked her.
Its chubby cheeks were irresistibly cute.
But something felt off. Although it walked normally, something was…
One of its hind legs was bent in an odd direction.
“Teacher, this cat’s leg is…”
“Ah.”
Teacher Ok spoke nonchalantly, as if it was nothing serious.
“It was hit by a car when it was a kitten. So, it can’t use one of its back legs.”
“Oh, I see…”
It must have hurt.
As Sulhee petted the cat, understanding her compassion, it purred from its throat.
“Stop looking at the cat and come eat. We’ll be late if we dawdle more.”
Reluctantly letting go of the cat, Sulhee stood up.
She was hungry, after all. While others couldn’t eat the day after drinking due to a hangover, Sulhee’s appetite increased, craving everything. She even ordered big burgers for breakfast, which she usually couldn’t eat.
On the neat, white table were Yukgaejang (Korean spicy beef soup), rice, and various side dishes.
“Um… You didn’t make all this, did you, Teacher Ok?”
Sulhee asked cautiously, and unexpectedly, Eunwoo blushed.
“I didn’t make it because of you, Sulhee. I made Yukgaejang the day before yesterday because it lasts for several days.”
Teacher Ok made Yukgaejang?
She couldn’t imagine it. Stirring the Yukgaejang revealed fernbrake, green onions, and finely shredded meat all carefully prepared. Surely he didn’t shred all this by hand…
“You didn’t buy this?”
“Why buy it when I can make it at home. Eat up before it gets cold.”
Sulhee didn’t know much about cooking, but she knew Yukgaejang wasn’t a simple or easy dish to make.
Taking a bite, she noticed Teacher Ok staring intently at her. The Yukgaejang was spicy yet had a deep, rich broth.
Teacher Ok… a strange person.
Cooking as a hobby.
“How is it?”
There was an uncharacteristic tension in his voice.
Even Teacher Ok gets nervous when his cooking is being judged. Sulhee smiled and replied.
“It’s delicious. I think it’s even better than the Yukgaejang my mom makes.”
Relieved by Sulhee’s reaction, Teacher Ok picked up his spoon. As she scooped up rice and mixed it with the soup, Sulhee said,
“I can’t cook at all, my solo living seems daunting…”
Muttering so, Teacher Ok swallowed his rice and looked at Sulhee as he spoke.
“There’s no need to worry.”
“…….”
“I can do it. From now on, have breakfast at my place every day.”
He said it casually, as if it was no big deal.
Sulhee blinked at Eunwoo’s words.
Is this a proposal? Like that thing people say, “Let’s have meals together every day.” Is he proposing to me now?
To any normal person, this would be absurd. They weren’t even dating, and now talking about marriage?
But it was entirely possible with him. Just yesterday, hadn’t they discussed managing the hospital after marriage with his uncle?
Thinking this, Sulhee’s heart fluttered, and she couldn’t meet his eyes.
As Sulhee blushed, stirring the Yukgaejang aimlessly, Teacher Ok tilted his head in confusion.
“What’s wrong?”
“That thing… about having breakfast.”
“Oh, it’s fine. Don’t worry about the cost of ingredients. Just come and eat. It’s just adding one more spoon anyway. Remember, you came to the hospital without eating breakfast before and had hypoglycemia? I don’t want that to happen again.”
It was just an offer to stop by for breakfast before going to the hospital.
It was a misunderstanding. He wasn’t suggesting marriage.
“Ah…….”
Yu Seolhee. Don’t you know Teacher Ok yet? He doesn’t make empty promises. He really just meant, “Come over for a meal.”
It was obvious when she thought about it. There was no way he was proposing, as they weren’t even dating.
The words at yesterday’s gathering were just a joke. Realizing her mistake, Sulhee’s face turned beet red. As if her ears were burning, Teacher Ok frowned.
“Are you okay?”
“Ah, cough. It’s spicy…….”
She couldn’t possibly admit that she mistook Teacher Ok’s offer for a marriage proposal. She coughed awkwardly and stirred the Yukgaejang.
“Is it that spicy? You like spicy food, don’t you?”
When male lead is the homewrecker
“I know she doesn’t love him.”
I’ve read the novel below twice already. Girls, I’m highly recommending it to you!
The female lead? Not a good person.
The second male lead? Not a good person.
The male lead? Willingly plays the third party, breaking up the female and second male lead’s relationship despite all the warnings from his friends—so yeah, he’s definitely not a good person either.
Basically, nobody in this novel is simple-minded or without scheming.
The female lead starts off as the male lead’s secretary, but don’t worry—later on, she takes over the company while the male lead steps back to support her. He won’t steal her spotlight, overshadow her, or dull her shine.
I love novels where men are out here snatching wigs, tearing each other down, and going to war just to win the female lead’s affection. And this is exactly that kind of novel. Most of Hai Dai Ran’s works have this dynamic. You’ll see the male characters’ emotions being pushed to the absolute extreme.
There’s even a scene where the second male lead exposes the male lead online for being a homewrecker. The brotherhood immediately gangs up on him, dragging him through the mud. I find it compelling —it completely flips reality on its head, where usually, women are the ones fighting over a man and getting torn apart by the sisterhood.
For me, female leads in the novels I read should only struggle in their careers, not in love. But if the brainless romantics in the story are all men? I have zero complaints.
I’ve pretty much read all of Hai Dai Ran’s novels and even translated all of them—her works are just my thing. I’ll slowly upload everything here. One day, when my website is official, I hope I can invite her to join as one of the star authors.
Here’s the story synopsis:
One-line summary: She is his lifelong obsession, to the point where he was willing to be a third wheel, scorned by society, just to wedge his way into her relationship with her fiancé.
Cold-hearted and indifferent female lead + Scheming and subservient CEO male lead
Intro 1:
“I know she doesn’t love him.”
With blood trickling from his clenched fist, Rong Xiu gazed at the woman before him, his eyes clouded with anguish. Hidden in the wardrobe, he had witnessed Fan Xia – the woman he desperately loved – in an intimate embrace with her fiancé. Yet his heart still yearned for her, defying all reason.
Fan Xia, the elegant and composed assistant, carried something mysterious in her eyes whenever she looked at her fiancé, Wen Lan Sheng. Strange occurrences began to surface – secret meetings with the young Gu Jin Yi, an unexplained withdrawal of 5,000 yuan… Then suddenly, her fiancé’s sister, Wen Jing, violently attacked her.
In this matriarchal society, Rong Xiu had risen to become the chairman of a powerful healthcare conglomerate, breaking through gender prejudices. But for the first time, he willingly stepped into the shadows as the other man, disregarding his friends’ warnings to become her secret lover.
Because he had discovered the truth – Fan Xia wasn’t the pure angel everyone believed her to be. And perhaps, he was the only one capable of helping her execute her mysterious plan…
Intro 2:
Rong Xiu’s biggest regret in life was missing out on Fan Xia.
He secretly loved Fan Xia for 7 years.
Watched her go public with her boyfriend.
Watched her kiss her boyfriend at their wedding.
Until that man blissfully nestled in Fan Xia’s arms, obtaining everything he could only dream of.
The crazy jealousy stripped away his hidden secret love, layer by layer, burning like wildfire.
Fan Xia, how can I have you!
【Reading and Trigger Warning Guide】
1. Female dominant, male submissive, male pregnancy
2. Male lead schemes his way to the top, male competition
_____
Please help me, I want to bring you the best possible things.
If you find any chapter or novel with poor translation and editing quality, let me know by commenting directly under that novel or chapter. I will retranslate it as soon as possible.
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