The original Korean paragraph contains 23 lines. Here is the verbatim English translation, preserving the same number of lines:
Today, the movements to prepare for leaving work were unusually busy.
It was because they were departing for a joint outing before the development of a new model.
Three out of the four teams involved in the project planned to spend one night and two days together for team bonding.
“Why does the R&D team always skip it every year?”
Sa Rang, who was standing up and tidying her desk, asked Na Young, sitting opposite her.
The new model project involved their Development Planning team, along with the Product Planning, Sales, and R&D teams.
But even last year, the R&D team didn’t participate in the outing.
“Researchers tend to stick together, it’s just their nature. They are not typically seen as sociable, like most engineering students.”
Sa Rang nodded her head.
Perhaps Na Young and she were selected for the Development Planning team, not the R&D team, because of their contrasting personalities.
While lost in thought, Sa Rang glanced at Do Han beside her, wondering how he joined their team.
Seemingly indifferent to relationships, as even the infamous Mr. Park from the Product Planning team acknowledged.
But then Sa Rang shook her head.
She had overlooked the fact that he had been a successful business founder.
Having achieved such success, his sociability couldn’t be doubted.
His joining Seohan Electronics was initiated by a casual encounter with Dong Sik.
“Let’s decide who’s riding in which car and head out.”
Dong Sik’s voice made the team members buzz.
They planned to travel in a few of the employees’ cars instead of chartering a bus.
Since they would not return to the office but go directly home after the outing, they decided to ride together in cars with those who lived in the same direction.
“So, Sa Rang can ride with Deputy Ji.”
This led to the current situation.
With thirteen team members divided into groups of four, four, and three, only they were left.
Moreover, since their homes were not too far apart, this arrangement was quickly decided.
“Okay, the juniors can go together comfortably. We can even gossip about us.”
Dong Sik concluded and left the office, followed by the other team members.
Before Sa Rang could object, they had all disappeared.
Why another challenge for me?
A two-hour drive to the outing location, and she wondered what conversation to have.
“Let’s go out, senior.”
Seeing him smile, unlike her, Sa Rang’s brow involuntarily furrowed.
She knew that his formal language and ‘senior’ title would change to casual language and ‘you’ as soon as they got into the car.
The distance to the booked pension was supposed to be two hours, but that was based on a weekday estimate.
The roads, especially in Seoul during evening rush hour, were almost like parking lots.
Thirty minutes after leaving the office, they still hadn’t managed to get onto the highway.
The estimated arrival time on the navigation system was getting later every time they checked.
The original Korean paragraph contains 29 lines. Here is the verbatim English translation, preserving the same number of lines:
Sa Rang sighed deeply.
Her heart felt as congested as the traffic jam.
Conversations were more natural when she had dinner with Do Han yesterday, but now, there seemed to be nothing appropriate to say.
Feeling the awkwardness, Do Han was the first to speak.
“I didn’t know we’d be going to the outing after work.”
Sa Rang chuckled at his expected informal speech.
At this point, she was even grateful for his consistent senior treatment at the office.
“We don’t get two official days off for it, so we usually go on the same day or after work.”
Do Han nodded and continued.
“I thought we were going to a training center.”
“We can’t drink there. At least today, since three teams are going together, we can sleep in a decent place.”
His question lightened the heavy air inside the car.
Sa Rang chattered on to maintain the atmosphere.
“My first outing with our team was in a tent-like place.”
“No way. Even for Seohan Electronics?”
“The allowance per person is 40,000 won. Add another 40,000 won for the outing fee, and it’s only 80,000 won. With twelve of us, that’s just 960,000 won. Food and drinks cost more than you’d think. So, the lodging had to be shabby. Today, with fifty people, the budget is 4 million won, so we’re staying in a luxury pension.”
Laughing at her emphasis on ‘luxury’ for a mere pension, Do Han found her excitement endearing.
“So, today is just eating and drinking?”
“We’ll play some simple games too.”
“Games?”
“Yeah, but that’s not important.”
Suddenly, Sa Rang turned towards him, her eyes sparkling.
“Are you good at foot volleyball?”
“I’m quite good at sports involving balls.”
“How good is ‘quite’?”
“Never lost when I played.”
“Really?”
Do Han nodded confidently, and Sa Rang beamed.
“But why do you ask?”
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.”
