The original Korean paragraph contains 33 lines. Here is the verbatim English translation, keeping the same number of lines:
After the weekend, the Development Planning Team started the day discussing last Friday’s outing.
When Do Han, the star of that day, entered the office, everyone, still excited, applauded him.
Dong Sik’s face was the most flushed among them.
“Welcome, our team’s hero.”
Unaccustomed to the team’s enthusiastic greeting, Do Han walked to his seat, bowing awkwardly.
Everyone swarmed around him.
“Thanks to Deputy Ji, I’ve taken up soccer as a hobby.”
“Me too, Manager. I even went out to practice alone over the weekend.”
“I even bought a soccer ball because of the lingering effect.”
The three players who participated in the game eagerly expressed their newfound love for soccer.
Dong Sik, listening to this, looked proud and held his head up high.
“See, I have a good eye for people. I played soccer with Deputy Ji once, and his skills were extraordinary. I knew he’d be good at soccer.”
“Manager, you didn’t scout him just because he kicks well, did you?”
Na Young’s serious question made Dong Sik laugh meaninglessly.
“Not entirely, but if he hadn’t kicked well, I might have reconsidered.”
“Come on, that can’t be true. It would be too unfair to Deputy Ji, quitting his business over just one ball.”
As everyone laughed and chatted, the office door opened and Sa Rang entered.
She instantly understood the situation upon seeing the crowd around her seat.
Do Han’s awkward expression was amusing.
After greeting her team members, Sa Rang found a spot to stand.
She would have to wait until they dispersed to return to her desk.
This time, the female employees led the conversation.
“It’s not just about a ball. You joined the company because there was someone you wanted to see, right?”
“Right. Deputy Ji, which department is that lady in?”
“We’re dying to know. Can you at least tell us which business unit she’s in?”
“Please reveal her identity. We promise we’ll keep it to ourselves.”
Surprised, Sa Rang glanced briefly at Do Han. Thankfully, he seemed disinclined to answer.
Then one of the questioning female employees turned to Sa Rang.
“Wait, Sa Rang, aren’t you and Deputy Ji alumni?”
“Uh? Oh, yes, that’s right.”
Anticipating the questions that would follow, Sa Rang’s heart started racing.
“Do you know who that lady is?”
“No, I don’t really know….”
Sa Rang’s voice slightly trembled. Fortunately, Na Young intervened and answered for her.
“Those two never crossed paths in school, how would Sa Rang know?”
“Ah right, Deputy Ji dropped out in his second year.”
Sa Rang let out a relieved, awkward smile. Soon, Dong Sik checked his watch and started wrapping up.
“Alright, let’s continue this chat at our next dinner. Let’s get back to work now.”
As the team members reluctantly returned to their seats, Dong Sik whispered to Do Han.
“Let’s go have a cigarette.”
Dong Sik was determined to finally probe about that woman on the rooftop with Do Han. But Do Han didn’t get up and replied instead.
“I’ve quit smoking, Manager.”
Not just Dong Sik, but everyone was surprised by this revelation.
The original Korean paragraph contains 33 lines. Here is the verbatim English translation, keeping the same number of lines:
Sa Rang, having finally taken her seat, looked at Do Han with wide eyes and quickly turned her head.
“What are you talking about? Why did you suddenly quit smoking?”
Dong Sik’s face fell at Do Han’s unexpected declaration, as if the world had crumbled.
He felt betrayed by the only comrade he had to share a moment with on the rooftop.
The thought of returning to the lonely days of puffing smoke alone was like a bolt from the blue.
“It’s harmful to the body.”
“Then why have you been smoking until now?”
“Being in pain was better than being harmed.”
Do Han used to turn to cigarettes whenever he yearned for Sa Rang.
When his head was full of her, a puff of smoke helped him shake off the thoughts and focus on daily life.
Eventually, he became addicted and couldn’t let go.
But now that he had met her again, and since she disapproved of smoking, he quit without a second thought.
“What are you talking about? And quitting smoking isn’t easy for everyone. You’ll soon have withdrawal symptoms and start smoking again, won’t you? Be honest, how many have you smoked since you decided to quit?”
“No, I haven’t even thought about cigarettes.”
“What? How is that even possible?”
Instead of replying, Do Han just smiled lightly.
Having already experienced severe withdrawal symptoms after they parted, enduring this was nothing to him.
The mere fact of being able to call her name made him so happy that he felt like endorphins were being produced in his body all weekend, seemingly aiding his effort to quit smoking.
“You should quit too, considering your family.”
Dong Sik frowned at Do Han’s nagging, which sounded like concern.
Suddenly, he remembered what Park, the manager of the Product Planning Team, had said about Do Han.
‘I’ve never seen such a relentless person.’
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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