“No, stop that punishment. It’s not working,” Hyun Woo said firmly, looking fiercely at her.
Sori glanced at him, guilt piercing her heart every time she saw his lips.
“You should be punished, but I’m the one suffering. Look at me, that’s your punishment.”
As she lowered her gaze, he commanded, “Don’t bow your head.”
“……!”
She froze at his command.
“If you show me the top of your head again…”
He warned her with narrowed eyes, making his injured lips stand out even more, adding to Sori’s guilt.
“Does it hurt a lot?”
Her sorrowful expression made her look more pitiful than the injured.
“Hm.” Hyun Woo asked dryly, “Do I need to reteach you how to kiss?”
“……?”
“If that’s not it, then why did you get distracted?”
Sori hurriedly explained, but sensed something was off when Hyun Woo frowned deeply.
“Distracted? Really?”
“……I’m sorry.”
Feeling she deserved punishment, Sori awaited his decision.
“It seems you need to be punished.”
“……!”
Her eyes widened in nervous anticipation.
“Come sit beside me.”
Obediently, Sori moved beside him.
“Begin treatment.”
As she hesitated, Hyun Woo pulled her onto his lap.
“Start, don’t stop until I say.”
Sori’s face flushed as she realized what he meant. He closed his eyes, ready for her ‘kiss treatment’.
“Wouldn’t it hurt…?”
“Stop worrying.”
He spoke sternly.
Carefully, Sori kissed his uninjured upper lip. His faint laugh made her pause.
“Does it hurt?”
Thinking the laugh was a groan of pain, Sori looked worried. Hyun Woo then enveloped her lips entirely.
“Doesn’t hurt at all.”
For the first time ever, Hyun Woo felt like throwing everything aside, including work, just to stay in bed that morning.
In the underground parking lot of Empire Hospital, before getting out of the car, Kang Woo had his manager double-check his appearance.
“Am I not too noticeable?”
“Even if you think you’re not, people will recognize you,” his manager replied.
Kang Woo had convinced his road manager to use a private sedan to avoid drawing attention.
The manager felt uneasy. DiMonster, Kang Woo’s band, had a diverse fan base, and he worried about overly enthusiastic young fans, especially since they were here without the agency head’s knowledge.
“Do we really need to do this? Let’s just go back.”
“Hyung, I’m playing a doctor in this movie. I want to win an award for this role, to be recognized as an actor, not just an idol.”
“If the boss finds out, I’m done for.”
“Just say we came to the hospital if asked. Is that too much?”
The manager sighed.
“Fine. But be quick. Just here to get a feel of the place.”
“30 minutes tops.”
“Okay!”
Kang Woo firmly adjusted his hat and got out of the car lightly.
Even from behind, he was unmistakably Jay.
Watching Kang Woo from the driver’s seat, the manager slumped over the steering wheel, deciding to catch up on some sleep.
Meanwhile, in the rooftop garden of Empire Hospital, Sori was berating herself for her silliness.
Why am I overthinking spending the night with someone I like?
Despite her rationalizations, she couldn’t accept it easily. She took out her phone and typed in search queries.
“How to spend the night with a man you like”
“Tips for your first time”
“Preparing for your first experience”
No matter how she changed the search terms, the answers weren’t satisfying. She regretted not paying more attention to her friends’ stories in college.
It wasn’t something she could ask Hyun Woo’s sister, Ji Woo, either. Even if Ji Woo was open-minded, it felt awkward discussing such things with family.
Sori resolved not to bite her lover’s lips or flee again if the opportunity arose.
Looking up at the sky, she committed to taking more care with her underwear and to diligently apply body lotion – a resolve she had already started that morning.
She thought about getting more oil for added moisture, knowing that she must be prepared for any moment.
After her break in the garden, Sori noticed a suspicious person near the elevator in the ward.
A man was peeking around the corridor and station, hiding behind a wall and occasionally glancing around, with his hat pulled down over his face.
‘Isn’t this what I did when I tried to spy on Hyun Woo?’
The man, mimicking her past actions, was cautiously looking around, his face almost entirely hidden under his hat.
Sori noticed the man’s robust build, but she couldn’t let her guard down. Occasionally, hospitals do encounter strange individuals causing disturbances.
Approaching the man from behind, Sori tapped his shoulder.
“Excuse me.”
“Whoa, you scared me!”
His reaction seemed suspicious.
Sori, momentarily forgetting she had also been startled in the past, inquired, “Are you looking for someone? Are you here for a hospital visit?”
The man’s gaze dropped to the name tag on Sori’s neck.
“You’re a neurosurgeon?”
“Yes, that’s correct. Are you looking for the neurosurgery outpatient department? This area is for inpatients.”
“No, just… here for a look.”
“A look?”
Wait, something about his face seemed familiar, even distinguished.
“Is it…? Are you Jay from DiMonster?”
Sori had often visited broadcasting stations with her mother when she was younger, but encountering a popular idol in person was a first for her.
“Oh my! It is you!”
As Sori’s voice rose, the man hastily covered her mouth with his hand.
“Shh! Please, just for a moment. I’m sorry, but I need to ask you for a favor.”
With that, he quickly led Sori away.
After Being Cheated On, She Picked Up a Treasure (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: The husband I married on a whim had been secretly in love with me for a long time.
On the day when Jun Shao finally obtained the imperial decree for her marriage, Lan Qu, the person she had admired for six years, defied the decree and ran away.
Her gentleness and devotion, her promise of a lifetime together, were all disregarded by him. Instead, he dreamed of entering the palace to serve the Emperor’s sister as a sixth-rank attendant.
News of this incident spread throughout the capital, and the alleys in front of and behind the Lan mansion were crowded with people who came to watch the commotion.
Jun Shao should have been embarrassed and angry.
But someone stepped in to protect her dignity.
The figure was in a miserable state, yet still possessed an undeniable elegance and handsomeness.
The young lord struggled to climb the wall of the Lan mansion and shouted to her, “If he won’t marry you, I will!”
So, Jun Shao took advantage of the situation and married the person.
She thought the young lord did it to save the Lan family from the crime of defying the imperial decree, but never imagined that from beginning to end, what he coveted was her.
*
After the wedding, Jun Shao felt like she was living in a dream.
Her Wife-master was as beautiful as a fairy in a painting, skilled in the six arts, well-versed in poetry and literature, capable of being gentle and attentive, and also grand and dignified. Most importantly, she was the only one in his heart and eyes.
Jun Shao didn’t know how Lan Shiwu, as a illegitimate son without a father and blessed with beauty, had managed to preserve his purity, recklessly escape, and use his last ounce of strength to ruin his own reputation, all because of his love for her, just to stand before her.
She could only see him gazing at her with eyes full of love, and when she bestowed a name upon him, his eyes shone like stars.
“You have come to me like a weary bird perching on a branch. I shall call you A Qi.”
