He wanted to do anything for Sori if she needed it. So, whenever he met Sori, he used to say that.
“If there’s anything you need economically, be sure to tell me. Don’t worry. Dad will support you as much as you need. Whether you want to study more or, oh, is that not it?”
But for a daughter who had already become a doctor and was doing well in her future, there was nothing appropriate to do for her.
“If that’s how you feel, should I go study abroad now? I can travel alone with Dad’s allowance, right?”
“No. That won’t do. There’s Professor Seo. What I mean is…”
As expected, unnecessary thoughts were just burdens.
“I understand. What Dad means. But until now, I haven’t really lacked anything. More than that…”
“If you have something to say, say it. Anything.”
“I hope Dad stays healthy. Don’t get sick, and let’s see each other for a long, long time.”
At her daughter Sori’s words, he started playing tennis again, something he used to do.
“But when will you make a movie? It would be fun to invite Dad to a movie preview.”
Again, with that one sentence, he resumed his halted film work, which he had been diligently doing these days. Everything he did was enjoyable.
To someone like me, driven by mere enthusiasm, my daughter has brought only amazement and happiness.
After bringing down the box on the first floor and slightly lifting the curtain on the balcony-side window, bright early summer sunlight poured in.
It was a sunny Saturday afternoon. There might be many people out for a walk.
“Are we still far? Is the road congested?”
The kids who were supposed to arrive by two in the afternoon had not shown any sign even after ten minutes.
Just as I thought of checking my phone or making a call, attempting to go back upstairs, Sori and Hyunwoo appeared, holding hands side by side, opening the door that was left ajar by about a fist.
“Dad, we’re here!”
“Hello, sir.”
Seongjae, climbing the stairs, turned around nonchalantly.
“Okay, you’re here! On a rare day off, you went through the trouble to come?”
“No, sir. Have you been well?”
“Well, I’m always the same. Okay, what about lunch for you two?”
“We said we’d eat before coming.”
Sori, who had driven herself to eat lunch before having to prepare another meal for the grand feast, led them to the living room.
“Dad, I’ve drawn the dishes I want to make.”
Excited about the idea of making them herself for her honeymoon, Sori was very animated. As soon as she arrived, she showed Seongjae the notebook where Sori had drawn everything from the outline to the details.
“See if we can make it like this.”
Seongjae looked at the notebook with quite serious eyes.
From bowls and plates to cups, the dishes were drawn with a consistent design.
Failed designs were cute with a small ‘X’ mark. Seongjae didn’t miss any details.
Sori alternated between looking at Seongjae’s face and the notebook, nervously.
What if he says it’s not good functionally or design-wise? What if he says we can’t make it? Various worries crossed her mind.
“How does it look, Dad? Can we make it?”
“Of course, we can.”
“Really? Can we actually use what I drew?”
“Of course.”
“Really? Is what I drew not rubbish?”
Seongjae’s expression became serious for a moment.
Sori, not missing this, swallowed nervously. You never know until you’ve heard the end of what a Korean says.
“But did you really draw this yourself?”
Suddenly, Seongjae asked Sori while looking at her.
“Yes, why?”
“No. Shouldn’t our daughter have gone to an art school?”
At that moment, Sori’s worry faded away. Seongjae, alternating between Sori and Hyunwoo, was in the middle of expressing admiration with genuine sincerity.
“Sir, even if you say that, isn’t art school too much for Sori? Right. It was a good decision to become a doctor. But I’ve never seen such beautiful handwriting in my life. Oh my.”
Seongjae meticulously examined every scribble of Sori’s with half-closed eyes, not missing a thing.
Embarrassed, Sori absentmindedly scratched her forehead.
Looking at the roughly drawn outlines and notes with a prank development pencil, Seongjae’s compliments, crossing over fields, continued for a while.
Hearing this, Hyunwoo chuckled.
Would it be like that if he had a daughter? Suddenly, a question like that flashed through his mind.
Oh, by the way.
A daughter resembling Yoo Sori.
Just the thought of it sent shivers down Hyunwoo’s spine.
Two daughters like Yoo Sori.
The sweet taste, like swallowing cotton candy and honey rice cake in one bite, already resonated with a vibrating sensation.
“I’ve been having thoughts every time I see you these days.”
While absorbed in Sori’s cute handwriting on the note and drawings of dishes, Seongjae, who was falling in love with them, murmured without looking at Hyunwoo.
“Every time Professor Seo sees me?”
“Yes.”
“What about?”
Now, Seongjae’s eyes briefly met Hyunwoo’s.
“As expected, you have to have a daughter.”
Smack! Seongjae suddenly clapped, and the surprised sound shivered.
“Yeah. Daughters are good! But one is too sparse. Three is just right. Is our Sori having a hard time?”
“It seems difficult even with one. She’s so thin that you can see how much she’s suffering. It’s worrisome.”
“Even if I want to see my grandson, our daughter shouldn’t be having a hard time. No, she can’t.”
At the sudden mention of a grandson, Sori, who was flipping through the notebook, slowed down noticeably.
Even without looking, it was clear. Yoo Sori’s face would have turned into that of a blushing girl.
As expected, Sori, who had risen to her throat, coughed awkwardly, awkwardly clearing her throat.
“But, Dad. There are no work clothes or aprons to change into?”
Without looking at Hyunwoo and Seongjae, Sori began to search for an apron in vain.
Seongjae, who had prepared everything in advance and said he had prepared aprons for the two, took out the aprons he had prepared in advance.
“Here, it’s here. Put on the work apron, and both of you come up this way.”
That way, the three of them went upstairs.
The mission of stepping on the soil first was given to the novice Sori and Hyunwoo. It was the process of grinding the clay for making pottery and removing air.
Three piles of clay kneaded over several days by Seongjae were placed on three circular plates. It felt like they had come to visit a pottery class.
“I originally planned to start making pottery right away, but this will be fun too. Step on it with your bare feet. You stand barefoot and stomp on it like turning a compass on the clay with the center as the pivot.”
Seongjae stood on his own clay plate barefoot first. The point was to stomp on the clay with the sole of his foot while turning around like turning a compass with the center as the pivot.
“Come on, give it a try. Oh, couples go up to one pile each. That’s the rule.”
“Is there such a rule?”
When Sori asked with curiosity, Seongjae casually replied.
“There is such a rule here.”
Sori, feeling puzzled, asked.
“Here, there’s such a rule.”
The uncertain Sori first put her white bare foot on the soil.
“Oh, it’s cold! Oh, it feels strange. Professor, please come up quickly.”
At Sori’s urging, Hyunwoo also raised one foot, now bare. Like windmills, the two of them, their arms linked, started stepping on the clay one by one.
While walking awkwardly, the laughter in the studio didn’t cease.
The circular space was small for two people to stand together. Although it wasn’t meant for two people to step on, it was a bit uncomfortable to move freely.
“Uh, uh, uh!”
As Sori tried to bend forward, Hyunwoo immediately wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her up.
Completely close, the two realized that they were looking into each other’s eyes and thinking the same thing.
Perhaps, if they were alone, they would have gone straight for a kiss.
But with an adult nearby, the two just awkwardly smiled at each other.
“Do whatever you want. You don’t have to worry about me.”
I’m an open-minded person.
As Seongjae stepped aside, the two lightly exchanged a kiss.
Without it, there was no way to catch their breath in this situation.
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
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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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