She felt awkward, tenderly touching her still-flat belly.
She had given him the child he wanted.
Her heart swelled, feeling warmth spread to her cheeks as her muscles relaxed.
With her hand on her belly, Da Hyun slowly opened and closed her eyes.
I’m pregnant.
With his child.
Even while receiving the maternal health booklet, Da Hyun’s face, initially expressionless from disbelief, slowly began to light up with a smile.
Now she understood the reason behind her fatigue and uneasiness. It wasn’t illness; it was because she was nurturing a life within her.
How could she have been so oblivious to the signs her body was giving, the baby incessantly signaling its presence from within?
“I’m here. Please don’t forget me. Take care of yourself,” the baby seemed to be telling her.
“Since you’re in the early stages, it’s a time when miscarriages are common. You must be extra careful. Stress is a dangerous enemy for the fetus. Avoid stress at all costs. And no strenuous exercise, even if you feel healthy.”
“Make sure to get enough iron,” the doctor earnestly advised while listing the precautions and tests a pregnant woman must undergo.
Da Hyun decided to undergo all necessary tests at the hospital next week, relieved that there was an obstetrics and gynecology clinic right next to the internal medicine facility.
Carefully placing the precious maternal health booklet in her tote bag, Da Hyun stepped out of the elevator and exited the building.
Ring[Dash]
As she stepped out, her phone rang with perfect timing. It was him. She had to tell him.
“Hello?”
[What are you up to?]But she didn’t want to reveal the baby’s existence over the phone.
“I just stepped out for a bit. It was getting stuffy at home.”
Trying to hide her overwhelming emotions, Da Hyun spoke calmly, maintaining her composure.
[You should be resting at home, not wandering about.]“Just taking a walk for digestion.”
[Should I buy a treadmill?]“No, that’s okay. I prefer walking around the neighborhood. Did you eat?”
“I…haven’t yet. I’m planning to eat when I get home.”
Was it because she knew about the pregnancy? Her hormones seemed to be fluctuating wildly, and hearing his voice made her emotions well up.
Min Hyuk, I’m carrying your baby. The baby you’ve always wanted.
She wanted to tell him immediately about the baby’s existence, but she preferred to do it in person, showing him the ultrasound images.
Da Hyun sniffled, feeling teary. Each blink brought moistness to her eyes.
Hearing her sniffle, he grew concerned, his voice turning serious.
[If you’re not feeling well, you should go to the hospital. Should I call Dr. Kang?]Da Hyun shook her head, even though he couldn’t see her.
“No, it’s okay. But Min Hyuk, can you come home early today?”
[Why? Missing me?]“Yes. I miss you so much.”
His chuckle came through the phone, deflating like a gentle breeze.
“I will. I’m heading home now. See you at home, Min Hyuk. You have to come home early today.”
[Got it. Why are you so insistent today? Wouldn’t it be nice if you were this clingy every day? See you at home.]“Yes.”
Holding the disconnected phone to her ear for a long while, Da Hyun finally snapped back to reality as the pedestrian crossing signal changed.
Crossing the street and entering a right alley, Da Hyun couldn’t hide her uplifted spirits and walked on, smiling brightly to herself.
She was imagining the expression on Min Hyuk’s face when he would learn about the baby.
That’s when she heard a voice.
“Hello, where are you heading?”
A woman with striking long, bright red hair and sunglasses approached her from the opposite direction. Despite the cold weather, she wore high white heels, a short dress that barely covered her thighs, topped with a long padded coat.
Da Hyun looked at the sunglass-wearing woman oddly and let her smile fade.
“Who are you?”
As the tall, model-like woman approached, the scent of her perfume triggered a wave of nausea in Da Hyun. She barely suppressed the urge to retch, feeling a sense of displeasure just by looking at the woman, likely due to the overwhelming perfume.
The woman in sunglasses slightly lowered them with her index finger, widening her eyes as if in surprise. Then, her mouth stretched into a long, curved line.
“You really don’t remember, do you?”
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.”
