A Relationship of Convenience - Chapter 22
An animal hospital in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province.
Light leaked through the gap of the entrance where a slightly crooked ‘closed’ sign hung.
The man who placed the furniture that hit his feet on the table slowly turned his head and scanned the interior of the hospital.
As always, the organized space was unusually messy today. The trash can was piled high with broken and crumpled things.
The woman who was moving busily with heavy metal blasting through her headset only stopped when the mop in her hand was snatched away.
The woman’s brow furrowed fiercely as she lowered her headset in irritation.
“If you’re going to interfere, get out.”
“Are you kidding me?”
Two sharp gazes clashed. The tension was palpable, as if sparks would fly.
The gaze filled with disbelief belonged to Kang Jae Kyung. The displeased look shooting from the distorted eyes belonged to his mother, Choi Ae Jung.
“That’s why I told you not to come. Yet you insist on coming.”
Choi Ae Jung. Former model. Current director of .
The older woman of Kang Jae Kyung, who said their relationship wasn’t that of an ordinary couple.
Her skinny body was toned with lean muscle thanks to years of working out and boxing.
Her 178cm height had good proportions, looking stylish even in loose training clothes.
Her small, oval face was smooth without wrinkles.
She looked so young that when standing next to Kang Jae Kyung, they didn’t appear to be mother and son.
Born with natural qualities as a model, Ae Jung gave up on studying veterinary medicine and chose to debut.
She became involved with the Kang family when she modeled for Samyeong Electronics, which Kang Chul Won owned at the time.
Ae Jung, who grew up in an ordinary family that couldn’t even dream of becoming a daughter-in-law in a chaebol family, was swayed by Kang Chul Won’s sweet talk and unexpectedly got pregnant first. That was Kang Jae Kyung.
Even before the concept of brand ambassadors existed, whatever she wore invariably caused sell-out frenzies. That’s why luxury brands constantly sought her out.
She continued her activities much the same after marriage, but due to getting caught up in dirty schemes, she had to retire from the modeling industry along with her divorce.
She didn’t mind the criticism and finger-pointing from strangers.
Choi Ae Jung said it was enough since she opened a hospital and got a decent apartment with the generous alimony she received.
She had an optimistic personality to begin with, and it seemed like good timing as she was sick of being cooped up at home.
However, she adamantly refused to bring her young son with her. Because that was what they wanted most.
The position of Kang Jae Kyung, the eldest grandson of the Kang family and future head of the Samyeong Group, shouldn’t be in such a lowly place.
The back of her son mopping the floor with the mop he took from her burned with anger. Ae Jung shook her head.
That temper of his. Just as she thought he was about to cause a scene, the wooden bucket slipped from her hand and toppled to the floor.
“Why didn’t you report it to the police.”
“If you’re going to nag, get out.”
“We can’t have a conversation.”
Did he get bitten by a rabid dog or something.
Jae Kyung let out a frustrated sigh and rubbed his throbbing temples.
This morning. Choi Ae Jung, who came out after receiving a call from the security company, silently cleaned up the messy hospital.
She was grateful there were no animals under protection, but wasn’t too surprised.
It was clearly meant to intimidate, so she didn’t even report it.
She was afraid it might harm her son at this crucial time if the mother of Kang Jae Kyung, forgotten by everyone, was reported in the news because of such an incident.
Nevertheless, she gave him a hint about the incident, thinking he should know. That those dirty people have started to move.
Jae Kyung, who scolded her for not reporting it, also knew the reason well.
Even if they were lucky enough to catch the culprit, they wouldn’t easily reveal the mastermind, and if there was a big news article, it would be difficult for Choi Ae Jung, who came all the way here to live quietly, to have a peaceful life.
The days of just watching such obvious harassment were numbered.
He never took to heart his mother’s words to live his own life without even dreaming of revenge.
Except for the vulgar Bang Mi Mi, his father’s old age shouldn’t be happy when he knows about and condones doing this to a woman he once loved.
Bringing down the man who gave up being a father 25 years ago was Kang Jae Kyung’s goal and reason for living, enduring in that wretched household.
As a chill flashed in her son’s eyes, Ae Jung changed the subject as if she had read his thoughts.
“Are you getting along well with Chairman Bae’s granddaughter?”
Jae Kyung’s face became thoughtful for a moment.
Are they getting along well? She was stubbornly attaching the title of a show window marriage.
As his furrowed brow smoothed out, the chilly atmosphere also softened considerably.
Ae Jung watched her son’s subtle change in expression with satisfaction that her intention had worked.
It was quite fascinating, so she kept watching. As if to say, look at this guy.
The gruff voice that followed soon scattered the brief appreciation.
“What do you mean Chairman Bae’s granddaughter. To your daughter-in-law.”
“Why is she my daughter-in-law? You’re not my son.”
There she goes again.
It wasn’t long ago that Kang Jae Kyung found Choi Ae Jung again, who had disappeared saying his way to live was as Kang Chul Won’s son. Even after finding her, there wasn’t much coming and going.
He only heard occasional news, but since returning to Korea, he at least contacts her about important matters.
Ae Jung clicked her tongue, lightly brushing off her son’s fierce gaze.
“These young ones are so bold.”
At first, she was happy to hear the news of her grown son’s marriage. She was proud.
She had worried that her son, who was always kind to everyone but kept a strict wall up, perhaps from being overly cautious since childhood, might spend his whole life alone after seeing his parents’ unhappy end. So the marriage was very welcome news.
That was until she found out his partner was the one and only precious granddaughter of the Young Son Group.
Kang Jae Kyung, who became more and more filled with resentment the more she told him to let go of his anger, finally went through with some strange act.
Even if things go wrong, his powerless mother wouldn’t be able to do anything to help. He never listened well, even as a child.
“If the old folks find out about you kids fooling around, they’ll be furious enough to uproot pillars and swing them around. Can you handle that?”
“Director, just worry about yourself.”
“You’re such a filial son indeed. Worrying about your mom’s future too.”
The best, the best!
Ae Jung raised her dry thumb threateningly.
Jae Kyung, who had been looking at his immature mother with indifference, checked his wrist watch and turned on his heel.
“I thought you said you weren’t my mom.”
“Y-you. Brat.”
Though he acted nonchalant, Jae Kyung helped finish cleaning up before getting in his car, and didn’t forget to tell her to contact him first in situations like this, even if she begged him to come, he wouldn’t.
When did that little 10-year-old grow up like this?
Her hand that was pinching her suddenly stinging nose bridge tapped on the car window. The heavily tinted glass smoothly slid down.
“Kang Jae Kyung.”
Ae Jung lowered her head into the wide open window frame and thrust her arm inside. Her open palm smacked his smooth forehead with a satisfying slap.
Smack! Unlike the Kang family men’s pleasant hand taste, Choi Ae Jung’s hand taste was spicy in a different way.
Jae Kyung’s head tilted at an angle, his expression immediately turning incredulous. His sharp eyes were probably shooting curses.
“That young lady. Treat her well. She’s your wife after all.”
Ae Jung grinned, showing her even teeth, and Jae Kyung shook his head as he watched her quietly. Yet a soft smile settled on his lips.
“Why add ‘after all’?”
“You always have to talk back. You know women hate that, right?”
“She seemed to like it.”
“Get lost. Drive safely.”
With a final greeting for Ms. Choi Ae Jung to get home safely too, the sedan picked up speed.
Ae Jung remained in place until the last traces of her tsundere-like son disappeared, then roughly rubbed away the dew that had formed in the corners of her eyes.
“It’s such a relief he didn’t take after his father.”
*
He stopped at the last traffic light on the way to the residence. The sedan was silent with not a single line of music playing.
Jae Kyung slowly rubbed the nape of his neck with the arm resting on the window frame. His gaze watching ahead checked the time.
…I wonder if she got home alright.
His hand reaching for the phone lying quietly stopped just above it.
“…Is she sleeping?”
It was ambiguous.
‘Do you two like each other?’
The question he received in the park. The answer to that.
The reason he didn’t readily answer even as a joke was because he was curious about Kye Da Hae’s answer.
If he hadn’t been interrupted, what would she have answered? She’s a smart woman, so she probably would have chosen something appropriate.
The traffic light soon changed to green, but the wheels stuck at the stop line didn’t budge.
Meanwhile, the red light came on. The cycling signals passed by meaninglessly.
His fingers lightly tapping the steering wheel stopped, then the gear shifted as if he had made a decision.
As the blue light spread across the quiet road again, the sedan with its changed destination smoothly turned at the U-turn lane.
My Step-brother Is Obsessed With Me (Female-dominant)
A gentle female protagonist vs pitiful in the early stage, and a sick male protagonist in the later stage
Cheng Songer transmigrated into the body of a vicious cannon fodder female supporting character with the same name as her in a female-dominant novel.
In the original story, the cannon fodder female supporting character was inhumane, committing domestic violence, gambling excessively, being lustful, and even wanting to sell her stepbrother to a brothel for money.
As luck would have it, she just happened to transmigrate at this time.
Seeing Cheng Qingzhi biting his lip, enduring the tears in his eyes, looking pitiful, her heart softened.
She stuffed the money back into the Madam’s hand and reached out to him.
“Brother, come home with me.”
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