Taesang, who stood awkwardly, slowly accepted the Madeleine. Upon receiving it, the girl beamed a bright smile across her face. It was a bit satisfying to see his expectations confirmed.
“Enjoy it.”
“…Yeah.”
Having completed her mission, the girl turned away with light steps.
Thank you.
Since I don’t eat sweets, you can have it.
Wait for me, I’ll bring more from the teacher.
He knew in his head that he should say such things, but the thoughts circled in his mind and never made it out of his mouth.
“Just a moment.”
“Why?”
“Well, um…”
“…?”
Ah, I don’t know. Taesang, whose eyes were rolling around, as if determined, unwrapped the Madeleine.
“Eat.”
He tore off a piece and held it in his hand, extending the remaining portion from inside the wrapping.
The girl’s pupils widened. While she was good at giving, it seemed she wasn’t as comfortable receiving.
Moving forward, Taesang extended the bread again without making eye contact.
“Let’s share.”
“…Yeah! Thanks!”
The girl, who had been staring at the Madeleine, suddenly grabbed my hand.
The two stood on the terrace connected to the living room. Taesang wore a sky-blue shirt and jeans, looking casual. Dajeong held Taesang’s hand and smiled, while Taesang had a shy expression.
Taesang quickly pulled his hand away, like pulling it out of fire. As he lowered his head, he heard a rustling sound near his ear.
“Wow, it’s really good. Tastes like real potatoes!”
“Real… potatoes?”
Taesang’s head went up again at the unintelligible sound. The girl nodded vigorously.
“Yeah. Try it.”
“…”
It seemed unlikely for a handmade pastry from France to taste like real potatoes. But looking into her sparkling eyes, it felt like he had to agree.
Taesang put the half of the Madeleine he was holding into his mouth. Chewing it slowly, there was no taste at the tip of his tongue.
“Uh, yeah… It does taste like real potatoes.”
“Really?”
Cute, curved eyes were fixed on the two eyes. For a moment, a peculiar tickling sensation arose around the throat. Rubbing the neck with his hand, warmth spread over his palm.
“Eat a lot…”
Muttering these words, Taesang quickly left the spot as if escaping. His heart thumped as if it had malfunctioned.
It was strange. Everything from the rapidly drying mouth to the fast-beating heart. From one to ten, nothing made sense.
Was it because of the hot weather? Hiding in a corner of the yard, Taesang pressed his chest with his palm, and the field took a breath.
“Um… Can you boil some potatoes for me?”
The sudden request from the playful young master, who never asked for anything before, momentarily stunned the kitchen. Moreover, the requested dish was merely boiled potatoes. Not something like potato fries or mashed potatoes.
“Young master, should I boil the potatoes, add mayonnaise, and mash them? To eat with bread?”
Naju, who had worked in this house since before Taesang was born, quickly approached and asked.
“Oh, no… Just boiled potatoes, without anything like that.”
“Alright. I’ll boil them for you right away.”
Seasonal fruits and snacks imported from around the world. There has never been such a humble snack as boiled potatoes on the dining table in this house filled with luxurious food.
Perhaps he saw it on TV or something. Anyway, he’ll try a bite out of curiosity.
Thinking this, Naju quickly took out the steamer.
Potatoes boiled to a delightful texture, sugar filled in a small dish. Having quickly prepared the snack, she knocked on Taesang’s door with a tray in hand.
“Yes, come in.”
As she opened the door and entered, Naju placed the tray on one side of the desk. Taesang gazed intently at the sugar placed next to the potatoes.
In response to his curious gaze, Naju offered a light smile.
“It’s sugar. Dip the potatoes in it.”
“Is this how you normally eat it?”
“Well, usually, yes.”
“…I see.”
“What’s the matter?”
“Oh, nothing. Thank you. I’ll enjoy it.”
Taesang nodded slightly, picked up a potato, and Naju, after briefly chuckling, left the room.
Steam was still rising from the snowy surface of the potato. Taesang blew on it to get rid of the steam and dipped the sugar onto the round edge.
“Haah, haah…”
His mouth was filled with warmth. Taesang, with a satisfied smile, carefully moved his jaw.
Sweetness spreading over simplicity. He seemed to understand what it meant. After swallowing the mashed potato and honeyed sweetness, Taesang smiled faintly.
“Well, it’s somewhat similar.”
Taesang, with a delighted expression, peeled off the potato skin.
Will I be able to see her again next week? If we meet, I should tell her that I tried real boiled potatoes and that they were similar to madeleines.
“Madeleines…”
In an instant, his dark eyes widened.
Not to mention, they shared and ate the small ones together.
The girl shared the bread and only sipped her share of milk. She didn’t seem like she would ask for more.
Even though it seemed like she liked it… somehow, there was a rather dissatisfied feeling.
Taesang quickly put down the potato and rushed out of the room. If he told his grandfather, he would have fetched as many madeleines as he wanted, a hundred or even a thousand.
Thump-thump, going down the stairs, his heartbeat was louder than his footsteps. Imagining the delightful eating scene already made him feel good.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
A long week passed, and the lesson day returned.
Taesang couldn’t figure out what spirit he played the piano with. He just came to his senses, and the lesson was already over.
“Teacher, can I stay a bit longer today?”
“Sure. But today, play the piano and enjoy. Don’t be alone in the yard like last time.”
“…P, piano won’t do. The little one is coming today too.”
Taesang said, clutching his bag tightly. It was a large backpack filled with plenty of madeleines.
“The little one? Ah… you mean Youngjin.”
“Yes.”
For some reason, his neck turned red. In truth, it seemed like his innermost feelings, that what he really wanted to meet wasn’t the little one, had already been exposed.
Male lead is a Divorced Husband
She said to him: “Tell me, what makes you like me? I’ll change it!”
Liu Changning transmigrated into a female cannon fodder character in a female-dominant novel.
After reading the first half of the novel’s plot, the first thing she did upon transmigration was to divorce the Pan Jinlian-style male protagonist she had just married.
She indulged herself, pretending to be ugly and poor.
But as time passed, the way that man looked at her became more and more unusual…
Liu Changning was dumbfounded: Tell me, what makes you like me? I’ll change!
――
This lifetime, Pei Yuanshao was rejected by the same woman twice!
The first time, she drove him away. Forced by the situation, he endured the waves of anger in his heart, yielding and humbling himself.
That person lay slanted on a rocking chair, her sallow face emotionless: “If you don’t want a divorce, go cook!”
Pei Yuanshao’s face was dark and gloomy: “You!”
The second time, after the crisis in Jinling City was resolved, the new emperor sent someone to pick him up. He turned around, stammering: “I… I have to go. If you keep me…”
That person lay on the kang bed, her back to him, as if she had long anticipated this day, crisp and clear: “Goodbye!”
Pei Yuanshao was so angry his fingers trembled: “You… you!”
The mission of family and country made him restrain himself, averting his eyes and turning to leave this broken household.
Two years later, they met again. Seeing her ethereal face, his body shook like a sieve.
“She was originally a ‘she’!”
At the Qionglin Banquet, the top scholar of the imperial examination, a talented person with exceptional speech and conduct, all the unmarried young gentlemen from aristocratic families looked at her with shy and timid eyes.
The peerless imperial official Pei Yuanshao felt the anger in his heart erupt. He pointed at the woman surrounded by the crowd at the Qionglin Banquet, his thin lips slightly curled: “Little sister, I wants that person to be the wife-master of my Mingde Prince Manor.”
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