Seeing her wearing a dress and even wearing makeup, it seemed like she had attended a school reunion or something.
“Mom, if you were coming, couldn’t you at least have called me! Were you at some gathering in Seoul?”
Her mother hugged Jae In tightly and patted her back.
“What gathering? I just wanted to see our daughter.”
“What about Dad?”
“He told me to go and take care of the shop alone.”
Jae In’s parents, who lived in Hwasun, have been running a small bakery in the same place for over 30 years. They have good skills and are wellliked, so they have quite a few loyal customers.
Compared to the hardships they endured, it was a small amount of money, but it was enough for the two of them to live a modest life, and Jae In was grateful for that.
“Aren’t you busy these days?”
“I have parttime workers, so it’s fine. And sometimes, if I disappear, maybe your dad will realize how precious I am?”
“It’s because you’re so gruff. Where can you find another caring father like Dad?”
“Well, that’s true. I’m really lucky. I have a kind husband and such a beautiful daughter.”
“Mom…”
Jae In’s mother gently caressed her cheeks.
Soon, a heartfelt and simple meal was prepared. As Jae In ate the meal her mother had prepared after a long time, it felt like the difficult times she had endured melted away like snow.
After clearing the table, Jae In and her mother sat facing each other, with canned beer and dried snacks in between. It was time to release the builtup tension.
Jae In, with her arms crossed, spoke first.
“Okay, now tell me.”
“What?”
“Why did you fight with Dad?”
Pfft! Her mother spewed out the beer she was drinking. She seemed quite surprised by the sudden question.
“Whawhat? What are you talking about!”
“You left the house after a fight.”
“Who left the house? I just came to see you.”
Her mother waved her hands with a flustered face.
If she was going to deny it, she shouldn’t have been so surprised.
“Mom, I’ve been eating ‘rice with a gaze’ from Miss Seo for 20 years. I know everything just by looking at you.”
“Oh, well, it’s not like that!”
“It’s strange. You used to say that you’re pretty even without makeup, just wearing sunscreen on your bare face. Wasn’t this dress something you wore on special occasions?”
“WWell, sometimes I want to transform!”
“And when you’re feeling down, you sing ‘At the Youthful Age of 18’. You shouldn’t use such a refined tone.”
(Note: “Rice with a gaze” is a Korean expression used to describe a situation where someone eats a meal while looking at someone else eating, usually because they cannot afford their own meal.)
“Seems like she keeps catching real people. And, if you know her well, she’s a refined woman!”
Frustrated, Mom gulped down her beer.
“Fine then. Look straight into my eyes.”
Forced to make eye contact, Mom’s pupils shook uncontrollably, and her eyes gradually filled with tears.
“Look at this. Just let it all out.”
“Why can’t you believe that she’s not like that?”
“Why don’t you, of all people, listen to your daughter?”
“I don’t know, I don’t know. Don’t talk to me, I’m tired and going to sleep!”
Like a child throwing a tantrum, Mom stared at the wall and lay down.
And after a while, perhaps exhausted from the long journey, she quickly dozed off, snoring softly.
Amidst this?
A small chuckle escaped.
Now she truly feels like our mom.
Jae In lay down next to her mother and gently buried her face in her back.
She had always seen her as a strict disciplinarian, but now she even shed tears in front of her daughter.
“Our mom has also aged a lot.”
My words were filled with a mixture of pity.
Rrrrrrr. Rrrrrrr.
A loud ringing sound shattered the silence, filling the room.
Jae In quickly reached for her mobile phone, afraid that her mother might wake up.
On the phone screen was the message ‘Beloved Dad.’
“Oh, Seo Team Leader? Did something happen over the weekend? You’re back already? I guess the blind dates didn’t go well?”
Park Manager, overflowing with audacity, couldn’t just let it go.
As usual, Jae In was dressed neatly, wearing a clean blouse and a black skirt. Her long hair, reaching down to her chest, was tightly tied up.
“It’s not like that.”
“Well, you did well. I was surprised when you suddenly came back all glamorous. Someone like you even suits someone like Kang Assistant.”
“Ah, come on, Manager! How can you say something like that so openly? Seo Team Leader, it’s upsetting.”
Sitting across from him, Na Hee covered her mouth with her hand and laughed.
Go ahead and babble all you want.
Jae In, who hadn’t slept a wink last night, felt too tired to argue with her throbbing head.
Come to think of it, Na Hee seemed to have made a deliberate effort today, dressed from head to toe in luxury.
From her skyhigh eyelashes to the splendid necklace on her big earrings, and the formfitting salmon pink dress that clung to her slim figure.
There wasn’t a single thing that wasn’t dazzling. She would catch everyone’s eye wherever she went, a glamorous beauty.
She must have put in a lot of effort. Someone might think she’s participating in the Miss Korea pageant.
“What I meant was that simple attire suits Seo Team Leader. Right, Yeon Ji?”
Yeon Ji, with her big eyes blinking, turned her gaze toward the door and replied.
“Seo Team Leader looks beautiful even without dressing up. People are luxury goods themselves. Isn’t that right, Team Leader?”
Huh?
In unison, they turned their heads following Yeon Ji’s gaze. Do Hyuk was standing in front of the door, as if he had been there all along.
“Oh, I thought you were in the team leader’s office. Well, well, enough chitchat. Let’s get to work, work!”
Manager Park, who had initiated the small talk, spoke first.
“Team Leader, you’re here?”
Na Hee stood up somewhat provocatively. Then, she gathered her ample bosom and sent a seductive smile towards Do Hyuk.
Do Hyuk, without paying any attention to Na Hee’s antics, casually replied.
“That’s correct.”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
Is it right that he’s here? Is it right that he came?
Everyone was bewildered by Do Hyuk’s sentence, with the subject and object omitted, except for Yeon Ji.
“As expected, Team Leader.”
Yeon Ji smiled brightly at Do Hyuk.
Na Hee’s eyebrows trembled when she received an unexpected response to her deliberate greeting. However, this time she raised the corners of her mouth even higher and spoke again.
“Team Leader, do you have a moment? I have something to discuss about the proposal modification.”
“I have something important to attend to in the morning. Let’s talk about it in the afternoon.”
“Okay. I’ll see you later then.”
Finally, a hint of disappointment appeared on Na Hee’s face.
“So, the purpose of dressing up today was for the team leader. I’m making it too obvious. By the way, what is it that’s so appealing about the team leader?”
Is it really just the face? That much is undeniable.
Whether she says it or not.
Jae In felt her thoughts tangled up, giving her a splitting headache.
As Do Hyuk passed by her side, he spoke softly.
“Seo Team Leader, let’s meet in my office for a moment.”
She was already planning to visit him anyway. Jae In stood up from her seat and followed Do Hyuk slowly.
“I’ve informed the HR team about my resignation, so the resignation letter will be processed by today. Please ensure a smooth handover of the project as we find a replacement.”
Do Hyuk stated with an indifferent expression.
“I’m sorry for making things difficult for you. Thank you for your hard work all this time.”
Even though Do Hyuk went as far as apologizing, Jae In’s lips didn’t show any signs of being surprised or moved.
“You can leave now.”
The feet that stood firmly were not going to waver.
“Seo Team Leader, is there something you want to say to me?”
Do Hyuk’s intense gaze urged her on.
Jae In struggled to speak, aware of the cold sweat running down her forehead.
“Team Leader, by any chance…”
“What is it?”
As if she had made up her mind, she tightly clenched her fist.
“Is the proposal we discussed last time still valid?”
Male lead fell into her trap — and shattered when she walked away
This is also on my reread list!
This one is a slow burn, but when it burns, it burns hard.
Definitely worth a read, y’all!
The story follows a thousand-year-old seductive spirit who, on a bet, sets out to charm the male lead—a once-promising but unfortunate cultivator.
But just when she succeeds in making him fall for her, she heartlessly leaves, driving him to madness.
Determined to find her at all costs, he captures her, keeping her by his side no matter what, even if she hates him.
I love this kind of trope—I enjoy watching the male lead suffer in agony.
The ending drags a bit with unnecessary filler, but that’s fine.
As long as I enjoy the beginning, I’m good.
Intro
As an enchantress, Su Heng possesses captivating eyes and charming beauty, easily manipulating the joys and sorrows of living beings at her fingertips.
But to enchant a god, making him taste the bitterness of love’s separation, long-lasting resentment, unattainable desires, and inability to let go…
Do you dare?
Su Heng assists a divine lord in his cultivation, aiming to make him experience all the sufferings of love, so that he can attain the Great Dao.
Only after being chased down from the heavens by the divine lord, confined and completely possessed by him, does she realize how successful she has been.
The once gentle and polite youth has transformed into someone she no longer recognizes.
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
