While Mr. Jin and Kang PD were discussing whether they would premiere this movie on the NJ broadcasting platform or proceed in the form of a regular movie preview, Jun, who was exploring the next actor’s profile picture, said to me as if humming.
“It’s your turn for someone you like.”
“Someone I like?”
Jun’s line of sight dropped by one row, and he happened to come across the profile picture he was looking at. I knew exactly who he was without having to recall it.
“The man you stared at to the point where the picture wore out.”
“What do you mean, wore out…”
“When I say it’s someone you like, you don’t deny it, but why not this time?”
“…It wasn’t either of those. Okay?”
“Wow, ancient times. Response, something like that.”
“It’s not that I like him.”
He sensed it. Not that I don’t like this male actor, but rather, the uncomfortable words like, ‘I’m saying I like you,’ just because I wanted to hear them.
Sure thing. I felt a persistent gaze that seemed to insist on hearing the words I wanted.
“I don’t like him or anything. Just say the next thing. I’m listening.”
“Huh?”
“Don’t you see me pricking my ears up like a rabbit right now? Look here.”
“Pfft, yeah, I see, I see. Right now.”
“As if.”
My raised lips, which had been raised quite a bit, loosened. Jun, looking at me like that, let out a small laugh.
“When this actor comes in, don’t look at him so piercingly.”
“But isn’t it an invitation to look at him piercingly?”
“So, what I’m saying is, look at him moderately, not piercingly.”
“How do you know that subtle difference?”
“Well, if you’re having trouble, I’ll even watch your part.”
“Power abuse in the line of duty, huh?”
“…I can’t understand you, I wrote it in difficult words for you.”
“Oh, difficult words…”
He used quite difficult words even on ordinary days. It was a completely unexpected reaction. I was trying to say it wasn’t like that, but in this situation, it felt amusing, and I laughed.
Mocking me for not knowing this one thing, Jun’s teasing voice made me once again awkwardly lift my hand.
Kang PD’s sharp voice echoed loudly. Everyone’s heads turned toward Kang PD.
“Oh, the next one is Yoo Ji-hoon. When reviewing the profile pictures in advance, looking at this picture alone, I wondered if someone, as a joke, attached Director Kim’s picture because they wanted to pass the evaluation. Finally, today, I’ll see him in person.”
“Oh, Kang PD was also like that…”
I glanced at Jun. Jun just smiled bitterly and didn’t add anything. He was quietly examining the actor’s picture and self-introduction once again. The playful and young appearance he had a moment ago was nowhere to be found.
Just then, a man walked in. Even if he hadn’t received the order in advance, it was an appearance that could be recognized immediately as Yoo Ji-hoon. He was the actor who had caught everyone’s attention from the profile picture review stage with Jun, who looked remarkably like him, even at a glance.
He tore up the profile picture that had naturally revealed his bare face without any retouching or proper light adjustment. He wasn’t wearing any makeup, dressed in a white round neck T-shirt and light beige cotton pants.
Surprisingly, his very ordinary attire made his bright appearance stand out even more.
Nothing covered his appearance, and he didn’t seem to have any intention of doing so.
I felt warmth from him as he came in with a smile. He bowed respectfully towards the judges’ seats and didn’t forget to make eye contact with each of the four judges before taking his seat.
Although his trembling pupils revealed his nervousness, his courteous gestures seemed sufficient to create a favorable impression at first glance.
“Mr. Yoo Ji-hoon… Among the actors who appeared today, the synchronization between your photo and your actual appearance seems to be the highest.”
Jin, the representative, already with a satisfied smile, signaled that he had successfully set the tone. Kang PD, with traces of the previous laughter still on his lips, spoke up.
“Well, this is almost embarrassing to talk about sync rates. Mr. Yoo Ji-hoon, you look so much like our Director Kim in both the photo and in reality, don’t you? I suppose you often hear such comments around you?”
“Oh, Director Kim, I apologize, but when your movie ‘the train’ was gaining worldwide attention, and subsequently your appearance became a topic, I did receive a few autograph and photo requests on the streets.”
“Really, it must have happened often,” Jin, the representative, said with a shoulder-shaking laugh.
“As if Director Kim’s schedule isn’t already tough enough. If there’s a schedule that seems unbearable, we can send Mr. Ji-hoon instead.”
“It’s not like we look that much alike.”
Jun responded to Kang PD’s words more bluntly than usual.
“Oh, Kim Director, do you really need to cut in so bluntly? Well, let’s see. If Director Kim is a bit more like a puppy, Ji-hoon, if I had to choose, would be closer to a cat.”
“If it’s between a puppy and a cat, it’s completely different people.”
“Well, even if you say that. In terms of physique and height, they’re so similar.”
“This physique and height are not that rare, you know.”
As Kang PD praised Jun and Ji-hoon, Jun, in a somewhat dismissive manner, argued that it made no sense for various reasons. Strictly speaking, it would be more accurate to say that Kang PD and Jun were each spouting their own stories without caring about the other.
Suddenly, Jun stopped adding to the conversation and silently began to gaze at Ji-hoon. In Jun’s expressionless or emotionless profile, no emotions leaked out. Even Jun’s lips, which were close together, separated even later.
“Instead of staying like this, let’s ask the person himself first. I’m curious about what Mr. Ji-hoon thinks. How about it, Mr. Ji-hoon? Between Ji-hoon and me, who looks better?”
With the thought that he was deliberately asking a provocative question, he quickly shifted his gaze from Ji-hoon, who seemed to be caught off guard, to Jun. However, Jun did not look at me.
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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