Boiling Desire (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 8
“Let’s go, Seo Ah.”
Ha Joon stood up, taking Seo Ah’s hand, and she nearly stumbled as she was pulled along by his strength, hastily bowing to Min Jung before leaving the room.
“Kang Ha—no, Oppa.”
She normally called him “Mr. Kang Ha Joon” when they were alone, but quickly switched to a more familiar term since there were people around.
“What if we leave like this?”
“Avoid meeting Mother alone as much as possible. If she contacts you, let me know right away.”
*Ding.* The elevator arrived, and once again, Seo Ah was led inside by Ha Joon’s hand.
Yet Ha Joon kept holding onto Seo Ah’s hand.
Seo Ah looked up to check the CCTV camera on the ceiling, then lowered her head again. They were alone—could he really be worrying about the CCTV?
“I’ll handle Jeju Island myself.”
“Handle what yourself?”
Seo Ah asked, looking at him. He simply stared straight ahead.
“You don’t have to force it. You’re so busy with work that even weekends are—”
“But I want to go.”
Ha Joon’s gaze shifted toward Seo Ah.
Flustered, Seo Ah quickly turned her eyes back to the front.
She wanted to follow him. Who knew what he might do if left alone? If it hadn’t been for Mother, she probably wouldn’t have found out about it until that very day through Yeon Suk. In that sense, she was even thankful to Mother.
“Alright, fine. Do as you please.”
The moment Ha Joon finished speaking, the elevator reached the underground parking lot, and he continued walking toward the lot, still firmly holding her hand.
“Do you have classes this afternoon?”
“Yes.”
“I think I’ll be late today. No, I will be late. This time, it’s the truth.”
Ha Joon wanted to tell her the truth, just this once.
Only after watching her get into Young Joo’s car did he finally start his own.
He was worried she might turn around and go back up to Min Jung, regretting having walked out so abruptly.
He really wished he could drive her to school himself, but he’d squeezed this visit into his packed schedule and now needed to make up for the lost time.
At that moment, Min Jung, left alone in the room, picked up her phone and called someone.
“Driver Park, please check if Ha Joon had lunch here in Room 3.”
A short while later, Min Jung’s grip tightened fiercely around her phone as she received the call.
He didn’t eat here.
Immediately, Min Jung stood up and left the room. A young woman approached her.
“Oh! Mother~!”
It was Kim Ji Young, an artist at Hyo Sung Gallery, whom Min Jung had been hoping to connect with Ha Joon.
Ji Young and Ha Joon had attended the same schools from kindergarten through high school, both consistently enrolled in Korea’s most prestigious institutions thanks to their exceptional abilities.
Hyo Sung Gallery, run by Ji Young’s mother, had become one of Korea’s leading galleries and was destined to be inherited by Ji Young. Moreover, her father had been appointed National Police Agency Commissioner the previous year.
Considering such a distinguished family—destined to become even more prominent—Min Jung grew increasingly furious the more she thought about it.
“Oh, Ji Young. Did you come for lunch?”
“Yes. Have you eaten, Mother?”
Ji Young naturally clasped Min Jung’s hand gently between both of hers as she asked.
Min Jung had always felt guilty about not introducing her to Ha Joon, knowing Ji Young had liked him once. Yet she was touched and impressed by Ji Young’s continued warmth, though a tinge of regret lingered.
“I just finished eating. It feels good to see you again so soon after the other day.”
“Right? You look exhausted, Mother. Your face seems thinner.”
“Really?”
Min Jung turned toward the glass door to check her reflection. Ji Young was the only one who noticed such small details, and Min Jung’s heart warmed with affection.
“Don’t say that—please make time for me. Let me treat you to some nourishing food!”
“Oh dear, I should be treating you. How about lunch tomorrow?”
“I’d love that! Is 12 p.m. okay?”
“Sure, let’s do it.”
“I’ll reserve a nice place. I should go now—my friend is waiting.”
As Ji Young walked away, Min Jung couldn’t hide her bitterness. Beyond family background and education, even Ji Young’s thoughtful demeanor stood in stark contrast to Seo Ah.
That evening, after class, Seo Ah waited outside with her friends for Young Joo.
Though they didn’t attend the same school, her friends often gathered at Seo Ah’s campus just to see her, as she usually went straight between home and school.
“But why that look? Got something on your mind?”
Her friends eyed her worriedly, noticing Seo Ah’s unusually downcast expression.
“What mind? I’m just hungry and out of energy!”
“Ugh!”
Seo Ah forced a bright smile, and luckily, her friends didn’t press further.
After a moment’s hesitation, Seo Ah finally spoke up.
“Hyun Jung, about that guy you met at the club and had a one-night stand with—what happened with him?”
Her friends’ gazes immediately shifted from Hyun Jung to Seo Ah.
They’d never expected this girl, who used to fluster and pretend indifference whenever the topic of sleeping with men came up, to bring it up first.
“Why?”
“Oh, nothing… I just wondered if you were still in touch…”
“But why do you care? Don’t tell me—”
All three friends scanned their surroundings, then huddled close around Seo Ah, leaning their heads together.
“Don’t tell me it’s your husband?”
“What are you talking about!”
Seo Ah flailed her slender arms to push them away.
“No way it’s you—but I did wonder!”
“It’s not like that! I’m just curious. If he were dating someone, he’d tell me, right? But it’s so quiet—does he keep secrets only from me? It makes me feel left out.”
“If it’s a secret, it’s because they’re neither dating nor talking!”
Seo Ah’s eyes widened in shock. Not dating she could accept—but no contact at all?
“Hey, didn’t you get his number? What if you end up pregnant?”
“Pfft! Oh, our innocent miss—wait, you’re not a miss anymore! Should I say innocent married woman? Anyway, pregnancy doesn’t happen that easily.”
Seo Ah’s worries deepened. Though one-night stands were common these days, as Hyun Jung said, pregnancy wasn’t so simple—careful contraception should be enough.
Until she could confirm Ha Joon’s true character with her own eyes, getting pregnant was absolutely out of the question.
When Seo Ah got home, she ate dinner and sent Yeon Suk and the housekeepers home early.
Though things like sleeping in, skipping morning chores, or tension between her and Ha Joon might be naturally noticeable,
knowing even the private moments when they were alone late at night—down to Ha Joon sleeping in his study—felt as if hidden micro-cameras had been installed all over the house.
But could she actually find those tiny cameras herself?
She immediately headed to Ha Joon’s study, the place she was most curious about. Expecting a bed, she instead found a long, spacious sofa neatly made up with a pillow and blanket.
Did he sleep here every night? No, that couldn’t be. He must be sneaking out and coming back late!
Ah! Now wasn’t the time for this! Ha Joon said he’d be late, but he could come home anytime—she needed to finish her search quickly and leave.
Had she been searching corner to corner for long?
*Click!*
Startled by the doorknob turning, Seo Ah jumped and turned around—only to find Ha Joon standing there.
Already? He said he’d be late, even insisted it was true this time. Could he have rushed home out of guilt after hearing she’d sent everyone away early? Or did he have cameras installed himself? Or was it another lie?
“What are you… doing here?”
On his way home from work, Ha Joon recalled the lunch incident.
He’d been worried about her coughing, her small frame trembling with each fit, but what really tugged at his heart was the delicate, trembling feel of her hand in his.
That’s why he couldn’t let go. It wasn’t about the CCTV in the elevator—he’d been consumed entirely by worry for Seo Ah.
Though he wasn’t thrilled about her rejection of what he considered the basic wifely duty, he believed it was right to be considerate toward her.
He didn’t want to force anything through someone else’s pressure. He was waiting for her to open her heart on her own.
He’d assumed Seo Ah reluctantly agreed to Jeju Island.
But her resolve seemed firm. What was she really thinking?
The thought of spending two nights together in a hotel already had him anxious about whether he could handle it.
Though he’d said he’d be late—and emphasized it was true this time—he smiled at the thought of Seo Ah pouting, convinced again he’d lied.
He’d genuinely expected to be late, but a buyer meeting had been postponed to next week, finishing his work early.
“Do you find that so amusing?”
“W-what do you mean…?”
When Seok Hoon silently smiled, Ha Joon frowned slightly and continued.
“Focus on your driving. Don’t look at me.”
A while later, he arrived home, but the house was eerily quiet.
Had she sent away all the housekeepers again? The lights on both the first and second floors were brightly on, so someone was definitely inside—was she showering? He headed straight upstairs toward their bedroom, but noticed the study door was slightly ajar.
Quietly approaching, he peeked through the gap to see Seo Ah meticulously scanning every corner as if searching for something.
The Seo Ah he knew gave no clue as to what she could possibly be looking for. Could that innocent facade possibly be an act?
Though the door was already open a little, he deliberately twisted the knob loudly, making a distinct *click*.
Her startled reaction looked highly suspicious.
“What are you… doing here?”
“Ah, that’s… I was, uh, touring the house! Just touring the house! I realized I’ve never really looked around to see where everything is since I moved in!”
So she was innocently “touring the house,” even though there was nothing unusual enough to warrant such thorough inspection.
“If you’re done, come out.”
Ha Joon turned to leave, and Seo Ah followed.
Once inside the dressing room, Ha Joon took off his jacket and handed it to her.
Naturally taking the jacket, she moved toward the steamer—and unexpectedly spoke.
“Starting tonight, let’s sleep together.”
It must be because of his mother. Ha Joon sighed inwardly as he loosened his tie.
“You don’t need to worry about what Mother said.”
“She told me that if it weren’t for her people, this whole thing would’ve leaked out long ago.”
“If it weren’t for her people, you’d be my person. There’d be no leaking anything outside.”
After placing the jacket in the steamer, Seo Ah flinched slightly, then turned to continue.
“Actually, I was checking whether there are hidden cameras in the house. It felt suspicious that she knew even about things that happen when we’re completely alone.”
Of course—she really was the innocent Seo Ah he knew. He felt foolish for having doubted her even for a moment.
“She’s not the type to go that far.”
“Then how does she know? Does she sneak in at night?”
“Traces.”
“Huh?”
“There are no traces of us having slept together.”
Stating the plain fact, he found her blushing face so adorable he wanted to bite it.
“Still… let’s sleep together in the bedroom.”
As Seo Ah carefully placed the accessories she held onto the display cabinet, she nervously bit her lips.
Ha Joon, who had already removed his shirt, stepped closer to her.
Seo Ah flinched, trembling slightly, and kept her eyes fixed stubbornly on the accessory cabinet.
It drove him even crazier—how could she, still unable to properly look at his bare body, suggest sleeping together so innocently?
“I won’t be able to just sleep. Are you okay with that?”
Male lead Asks for a Divorce Every Day
It’s not often you come across a plot like this in the female-dominant genre — make sure to check it out!
This is a novel I’m planning to reread as well.
The male lead is strong, skilled in martial arts, and not the usual fragile type you often see in matriarchal novels.
Meanwhile, the female lead is a scientist—rational and logical. Even when she falls for the male lead, she doesn’t let her emotions cloud her decisions.
If you push through the first few chapters, you’ll gradually find the story really intriguing.
It has a mix of mystery, detective elements, and romance.
The author’s writing style is like crafting a puzzle—except they deliberately leave out a few pieces, making it hard to predict what happens next, yet keeping you hooked.
In the end, everything will come together and be explained.
One-sentence summary: Wife, stop playing with beakers and look at me!
In a laboratory accident, research scientist Zhu Wansheng accidentally travels to a matriarchal world. The original owner of the body is an eighteen-year-old only daughter of a wealthy rouge merchant, already married with a handsome young man.
Zhu Wansheng grins: Nice! She always said she was heaven’s favorite granddaughter. After a life of toil in her previous life, she can enjoy blessings in this one.
However, her joy lasts no more than three seconds as bad news arrives: the original owner’s family is about to go bankrupt, and her husband wants a divorce.
Even worse, she’s stuck with a research system full of restrictions.
Zhu Wansheng: ? Is this the destiny of a research dog?
——
Faced with this mess, Zhu Wansheng pours herself a bowl of wine to drown her sorrows. In her drunken haze, her husband arrives.
His figure is imposing, holding a long sword, with a dignified air that captivates Zhu Wansheng.
Gu Yingqing, however, looks at the alcohol-reeking Zhu Wansheng with undisguised disgust and coldly asks, “Divorce or not?” The intoxicated Zhu Wansheng mumbles vaguely, “I think… it’s not… it’s not… impossible!”
——
The next day, after sobering up, Zhu Wansheng is full of energy, rolling up her sleeves ready to make a big move. As for yesterday? She has no memory of it.
Zhu Wansheng is ambitious; a research dog fears nothing!
Upgrading rouge, extracting fragrances, producing perfumes, researching lipsticks… all shall bow to the power of modern technology!
The original owner’s dying rouge shop is revitalized. Her mother is pleased and with a wave of her hand, passes on the family business to her. As she takes control and her experimental results gain popularity, it’s the pinnacle of her life…
——
But there are always those who can’t stand to see her doing well. Jealousy, scheming, assassination attempts – they want nothing less than her life.
The person who has always kept his distance from her suddenly holds her tightly in his arms, eyes full of concern.
She is unharmed, but he falls into a pool of blood…
Zhu Wansheng feels guilty, “I can grant you one wish.”
Gu Yingqing tentatively circles his arms around her, carefully resting his head in the crook of her neck, pleading softly, “I regret it. Can we not divorce?”
Zhu Wansheng: ? When did I agree to a divorce?
[Small Theater]
The newly developed rouge is beautifully packaged, and Zhu Wansheng is eager to try it.
Gu Yingqing suddenly appears: “My lady, may I apply it for you?”
Cool fingertips lightly brush her lips. His Adam’s apple bobs as he leans in for a light bite.
Zhu Wansheng: ?
Gu Yingqing: It smells so good, I wanted to taste it…
On a warm spring day, Zhu Wansheng tries a new perfume: “Spring Night.” Gu Yingqing corners her against a wall.
Warm breath lingers on her neck.
“My lady, from now on, may I test the fragrances for you?”
[Humorous female scientist vs scheming live-in son-in-law male lead]
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
Girl…. lol. How? She’s so comfortable. Haha. In a deep sleeper too but this? I’m giving the crown to her. Haha 🤣
I’m cackling…. Hahaha 😂 He better be pretending to sleep. Hahaha… I can’t imagine this. Lmfao.
I’m feeling giddy imagining all of this too. lol. Who wouldn’t?