―So, I forgot all the money I earned and now I’m thinking of doing parttime work because I’m running out of options.
Yura’s voice sounded desperate, as if she were being dragged down to the ground.
“That rooftop guy, boasting a rich and exceptional appearance… he’s unemployed.”
Jae In, what should I do?
“What can you do? Absolutely nothing. If your parents find out, they’ll be furious.”
I’ll be disowned for sure. That’s why I’m trying not to think about it, but I keep thinking about that man.
I know exactly how that feels.
As someone who has experienced sleepless nights because of Do Hyuk, Jae In naturally nodded in agreement.
And then it happened.
In the company lobby, a familiar profile caught Jae In’s eye.
“Oh, Manager Kim! What brings you here?”
“Seo Jae In?”
Surprised, Sung Joon’s eyes widened as he shook hands with Jae In.
Ah, he must be cautious, afraid that his identity as the team leader might be revealed.
Jae In glanced around and whispered to Sung Joon.
“The volume was too loud. I’m sorry. Did you come to meet the team leader?”
“Yes. I have something urgent to discuss.”
“I see.”
At that moment, Yura’s melancholic voice flowed through the still connected phone.
Jae In, are you listening? I should hang up, right?
“Oh, sorry. Of course, you should hang up! If you meet him, you’ll definitely regret it.”
Will I? It won’t work! I have to meet him just once more to really regret it.
“Are you crazy? Snap out of it!”
Jae In, thank you. I’m hanging up.
“Hey! Choi Yura!”
As Jae In let out a frustrated cry, the phone made a beep sound.
Sung Joon, who had been listening to the conversation, cautiously asked, “Is something wrong?”
“Don’t even say that. My friend, who is thirtyfive and unemployed, said she fell in love at first sight with a guy. She believes it’s destiny and all that.”
“Oh, really? That’s not good.”
“I know, right? I tried to talk her out of it, but she seems to have a lot of lingering feelings.”
“But they only met briefly. What lingering feelings could there be? She’ll forget about it soon enough.”
Jae In tilted her head at Manager Kim’s words.
“It won’t be easy. She’s my friend, but she’s stubborn. Once she sets her mind on something, she won’t rest until she accomplishes it. I’m worried.”
“….”
“Oh, I might be late if I stay here any longer! Manager Kim, please go ahead.”
“You go first. I have somewhere to stop by briefly.”
“Okay, see you next time.”
Jae In swiftly ran towards the elevator.
Sung Joon watched her back with a complicated expression.
The secret conference room on the 25th floor of Daesan F&G.
Unlike usual, Sung Joon came to find Do Hyuk early in the morning and was reporting with a serious expression.
“Sir, we have a problem. As I mentioned before, MF Partners, the hedge fund, has once again approached Chairman Cha in a friendly manner. It seems that Chairman Cha’s side acted rashly and went overboard.”
“Overboard?”
Do Hyuk furrowed his brow and asked.
“Yes. According to the information network, there’s an ongoing merger between Jang Moon Soo, who holds a majority stake in MF Partners, and Chairman Cha’s eldest son.”
“My nephew is getting married?”
“It hasn’t been officially announced yet, but they are expected to make an official marriage announcement within this month.”
Huh.
Do Hyuk was taken aback and let out a hollow laugh.
“He really is like a little uncle. He’ll do anything without hesitation if it serves his purpose.”
“I never expected it to go this far.”
“In his position as the younger uncle, he might see it as a perfect opportunity to get rid of his troublesome son.”
At Do Hyuk’s speculation, Sung Joon silently gave a nod of agreement.
And he had every reason to think so. His younger cousin, Jin Hyuk, who was a year younger, had studied abroad and was now receiving management lessons as a thirdgeneration chaebol.
At least that’s what it looked like on the surface.
It was quite convincingly packaged, but within the family, Cha Jin Hyuk was known as a goodfornothing.
Not only was he disinterested in studying, to the point of causing trouble and getting expelled from high school, he had left for studying abroad.
Somehow, he managed to enter graduate school thanks to the family’s connections, but a year ago, he gave up halfway, using his health as an excuse, and returned.
Since then, Jin Hyuk had been enjoying his nights, going out and having fun without a care in the world.
Tsk.
Do Hyuk clicked his tongue, as if expressing his pity, and briefly licked his lips before checking his watch.
“I should go in now. Manager Kim, please continue to keep an eye on the situation. Let me know immediately if there are any other movements.”
“Yes, understood.”
“But why did you come early in the morning for that?”
“Chairman Cha suddenly called me and said he wanted to see me during the day.”
“Why did Grandfather suddenly…”
Seeing Do Hyuk narrow his eyebrows with a puzzled expression, Sung Joon smiled lightly.
“I guess I’ll find out when I go. Oh, by the way, I prepared wild ginseng as a birthday gift for Chairman Cha.”
At the mention of a birthday gift, Do Hyuk’s mind suddenly cleared.
“Oh, is it today?”
“Yes? I told you yesterday that everyone would gather at the main house in the evening…”
Do Hyuk had overheard it with a puzzled expression, his mind focused on Seo Jae In’s pea field.
“What should I do? I asked Seo Jae In to have dinner together, but what now?”
Although I made up an excuse, it was actually a date request that I awkwardly brought up.
I had made a difficult arrangement for dinner with Jae In.
But that meddler Gyu Min sent me on a business trip forcibly as soon as he came to work.
I couldn’t afford to miss my grandfather’s birthday celebration either.
“I should go. I momentarily forgot.”
“Yes. I’ll move the gift to the car then.”
“Thank you.”
Do Hyuk, who had parted ways with Sung Joon, didn’t go straight in but stopped in front of the office.
He caught a glimpse of Jae In talking to Yeon Ji through the window.
Jae In, who usually tied her hair tightly, looked even more lovely with her long hair let down.
“She looks even prettier today.”
Ha. At that moment, as he let out a regretful sigh.
Do Hyuk’s eyes widened when he happened to catch Yeon Ji’s radarlike gaze.
Startled, Do Hyuk’s eyes grew bigger, and Yeon Ji tilted her head and smiled.
Her face seemed to say:
“I caught you!”
That morning, in the team leader’s office, Jae In’s report on the progress of the new product development was nearing its end.
“To summarize, the ingredient analysis of the food showed no problems. Starting tomorrow, we will proceed with the production of diet convenience samples using the top five configurations that received the highest scores in the survey.”
“Great job.”
“Please review the report and let me know if there’s anything else you need.”
“Sure.”
“Well then, I’ll leave now.”
As Jae In was about to turn around, Do Hyuk opened and closed his lips as if he had something to say.
“Team leader, do you have something else to say?”
“It’s about the dinner appointment for tonight…”
“Oh, dinner…”
As an AI language model, I don’t have access to your previous translation history or the guidelines you provided earlier. However, based on the new guidelines you have provided, I will translate the text you provided:
(Translation)
It was an extension of work, but the thought of having dinner alone with Do Hyuk made Jae In nervous.
“I have to suddenly go back home, so let’s do it next time.”
“What?”
For a moment, a disappointed expression flickered across Jae In’s face.
Not missing that, Do Hyuk immediately asked.
“Seo Jae In, are you disappointed by any chance?”
lu lu lo la ▪️ net (lululola.net)
The Male lead Always Seduces Her with His Beauty (Matriarchy)
Xin Jiao Zhou is the leader of the world’s premier sect. She has just experienced betrayal from all sides, was poisoned in an assassination attempt, and faced death squad attacks while the poison was taking effect. After finally clearing out the scum from her sect, she was drugged again while trying to detoxify.
After waking up from a night of unconsciousness, she gained a “beautiful and kind-hearted” husband.
Xin Jiao Zhou: “???”
He fell ill.
She came to see him, bringing breakfast.
As she put down the breakfast and was about to leave, his hand slipped while holding the spoon. “Clank!”
She turned around upon hearing the noise.
He looked up at her, his eyebrows drooping: “My hand… has no strength.”
“Shall I… feed you?” she asked tentatively.
He opened his mouth cheerfully: “Ah—”
Thinking she was drowning, he jumped in without hesitation to save her, but nearly drowned himself. In the end, it was she who swam over to rescue him, giving him air underwater.
After emerging from the water, his ear tips turned red. He lightly brushed his cheek, tucking his sideburns behind his ear, revealing delicate, pink-tinged ear tips. He lowered his gaze, too embarrassed to look at her.
Xin Jiao Zhou: He’s truly beautiful, kind-hearted, and adorable.
A certain someone when disciplining subordinates behind the scenes: “If they don’t obey, just kill them.”
What’s that? She might already have someone she cares about in her heart? A certain someone: Find out who it is, kill them, and then there won’t be anyone.
What? She met a man by the riverside? What? That man even hurt her? A certain someone: Whichever hand hurt her, chop off his entire arm.
Love at first sight without realizing it, gradually falling in love, slowly getting closer…
Family and national grudges, schemes and desires, good and evil, crime and punishment, she and he face the future together, seeking justice with passion!
A naturally dark female lead who could accidentally destroy the world but is actually an honest person VS a weak, pitiful, and helpless but skilled fighter, beautiful white-cut black male lead
My heart is not of stone, how steadfast is your love? — Tao Yuanming “Imitating the Ancients (No. 3)”
— Reading Guide —
Cold female lead & dramatic black lotus with hidden yandere traits male lead
