Brother, You're Mistaken (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 8
“Please… spare me…”
Hye Ju stepped forward toward Joo Won, feeling like a cow being dragged to the slaughterhouse.
Thirty minutes before work, she’d gotten a call from Ruby. She said she’d been throwing up all night—probably from the oyster pancakes they’d eaten yesterday—and that she absolutely couldn’t come to the office in this state.
Ruby was a colleague from the same business division as Hye Ju and someone she usually got along well with. When Ruby asked if Hye Ju could cover her morning tasks, Hye Ju readily agreed—but oh no. Those morning tasks turned out to be buddying up with Kang Joo Won.
‘I completely forgot about it.’
She’d heard yesterday that Ruby had become Joo Won’s buddy, but since he was so far out of her mind, she hadn’t given it a second thought. After hanging up, she received a text from Ruby summarizing the morning duties—and only then did she realize that her task for today was to be Kang Joo Won’s buddy.
She’d tried calling to see if someone else could take over, but Ruby wasn’t answering—probably at the hospital or something. So, with no other choice, Hye Ju had come to work wearing her blue skirt.
“Good morning, President.”
Hye Ju greeted him in a mechanical, keyboard-typed tone.
‘Now that it’s come to this, I’d better get this over with as quickly as possible.’
Fortunately, the first mission she had to carry out today was “take a photo together while wearing blue,” which seemed like it could be wrapped up in ten seconds.
“You swore you’d given up on me, yet here you are, going out of your way to become my buddy? You pretended you weren’t interested but ended up signing up anyway?”
What on earth was this guy talking about?
Seeing Joo Won’s lips curling smugly upward made a thousand years’ worth of injustice well up inside her. Frowning deeply, Hye Ju shot back,
“I didn’t sign up. Originally, President’s buddy was supposed to be Lee Ru Bi from the business division. She came down with sudden stomach issues, so I’m filling in for her.”
“Oh?”
“That’s what I just said.”
“So you pounced the moment an opportunity came your way—fact.”
This guy really!
Hye Ju clenched her molars and spoke through gritted teeth.
“Let’s just take the picture and get it over with.”
“The purpose of today’s mission isn’t just to casually snap a photo and call it a day. Don’t you even understand the point of the buddy program?”
I don’t care to know your so-called “point.”
“And how many years have you even been at this company if you’re handling things this carelessly?”
Was seniority really relevant in a situation like this?
“If you’ve got a brain, use it. Think about why the company spends money and time running this buddy program.”
“Excuse me—”
Hye Ju, steam practically rising from the top of her head, was about to protest when—
“First.”
Joo Won held up one finger. Her half-open lips snapped shut as if hit by a magic spell.
“The reason you’re supposed to wear matching colors is to foster a sense of belonging and naturally erase the hierarchy between seniors and juniors.”
“…I know that.”
“The photo isn’t just for evaluating mission completion—it’s mainly meant to build closeness between you two.”
“…”
“The reason we’re running this buddy program instead of just leaving skilled staff idle is to help new hires relax and give them easier access to existing employees’ knowledge, making future collaboration smoother. It’s not about just taking a silly photo.”
Hye Ju was dumbfounded by this flood of eloquent reasoning.
She’d never known Kang Joo Won could speak so articulately. She might’ve fainted from shock if she’d known this was the same person who’d been arguing against the buddy program just moments ago.
Blink. Blink.
She could only stare blankly, and it took several seconds before she regained her composure.
“Yes. I understand exactly what you mean, President.”
How could she possibly argue with the almighty President when he’d laid it out so logically—and every word was undeniably correct?
“Lee Ru Bi will be back tomorrow. So you can explore all those wonderful meanings with her instead.”
Joo Won shoved his hands into his pockets and gave a cold smirk.
“You really lack responsibility.”
“Who—me? That’s the first I’ve ever heard of it in my life.”
“If you’re stepping in as a replacement, do it properly. Don’t mix personal feelings into work.”
Who’s the one mixing in personal feelings right now!
Why drag this out like this when we could’ve just taken a quick photo and parted ways?
“So what do you want to do, then?”
“Let’s go outside and take it. Nicely.”
“Do we really have to?”
“It’ll be used in promotional materials—on the company’s internal website and even job postings. It’s a great chance to showcase Datase Korea’s free-spirited workplace culture.”
There was just no winning against his verbal skills…
“Fine. Okay. Where should we go?”
“Want to go to the beach?”
“What the…! Oh.”
Hye Ju slapped a hand over her mouth as the unfiltered reaction slipped out.
Though he must have heard it clearly, Joo Won didn’t react much—just raised one thick eyebrow, and that was it.
“We should probably avoid places too far from the office. We’ll need to get back soon.”
“I only suggested that because of the outfit concept. Let’s just grab something to eat.”
“It’s nine in the morning.”
“I need hangover soup. I drank too much last night.”
So he was using the company program as an excuse to indulge his personal desires after all.
‘Is this really okay for a company president?’
Grumbling under her breath, Hye Ju quickly pulled out her phone.
She instinctively searched for a nearby hangover soup spot—and felt the sorrow of a salaried worker wash over her.
Hye Ju picked a hangover soup restaurant just five minutes from the office. They were famous for their seonjitguk, but since it was so early, there were hardly any customers.
“Shall we have seonjitguk?”
“You only can’t eat it if there isn’t any.”
His taste being this unexpected—ordering seonjitguk instead of brunch in Times Square—surprised her. Hye Ju raised one hand and called out,
“Then I’ll order the same for both of us! Auntie! Two bowls of seonjitguk, please!”
Joo Won stared at her, transfixed. His intense, folded-arms gaze made her so uncomfortable that she fiddled awkwardly with the menu she had no intention of reading.
Why did the less-than-three-minute wait for the soup feel so unbearably long? She hadn’t even taken a spoonful, yet her stomach was already churning.
Where am I…? Who am I…?
“Should we take the photo first?”
Thankfully, Joo Won broke the silence.
“Oh—yeah, sure.”
“Use your phone.”
“Okay.”
Hye Ju quickly pulled out her phone and switched to selfie mode. Though they say even Mount Geumgang looks better after a meal, completing the mission felt more urgent than eating.
“Scoot in a bit. Your face isn’t showing.”
The table was so wide that even with her arm fully extended, she couldn’t fit them both in the frame. To show their matching blue outfits, they’d need to sit closer—but she absolutely did not want to be side by side with Kang Joo Won.
“Lean your body inward. Don’t you know how to take a selfie?”
Joo Won watched her struggle with various angles, looking utterly exasperated.
“Why blame me for your stubby arms?”
“Stumpy? I happen to have great proportions, you know!”
“Sure you do.”
Irritated, Hye Ju shot him a sharp glare. Joo Won responded with a mocking smile and held out his palm.
“Give it here.”
Reluctantly, she handed over her phone. Joo Won stretched out his arm and snapped the photo.
Click.
In one second, a perfect shot of their upper bodies was complete.
Why did it feel so unfair that he had long arms? And to top it off, he’d half-closed his eyes—making it even more infuriating.
“Let’s take another one.”
“It’s fine. We’ll go with that.”
“But my eyes are closed! Is it okay if only you look good?”
“It’s the immutable law of originals.”
Was he trying to start a fight?
Her fighter instincts began boiling over.
“Two bowls of seonjitguk, here you go!”
If the food hadn’t arrived right then, she might have rolled up her sleeves and thrown down.
Hye Ju angrily dumped a generous amount of chili powder into her bowl, then buried her face in the pot and started eating.
‘Even dogs aren’t disturbed while eating—surely he won’t pick a fight now.’
Every time she opened her mouth, she ended up losing—so staying silent and focusing solely on her meal seemed like the best option.
Crunch, crunch.
She was shoveling food without a word when—
“Hey, Oh Hye Ji.”
“What?”
“Why’d you answer? You’re not Oh Hye Ji.”
Confused by this random comment, she looked up—just as Joo Won reached out and tugged at her employee badge hanging around her neck.
“Oh, it’s Oh Hye Ju, not Oh Hye Ji. Why didn’t you say anything?”
“Oh, that?”
Hye Ju chewed a mouthful of rice before replying.
“It didn’t matter.”
“What didn’t?”
“It didn’t matter what you called me.”
Her tone was so coldly indifferent that Joo Won’s eyebrow twitched upward.
“It didn’t matter? Why not?”
“Well, I also never really had the chance to correct you—remember how things were when we met again at Seung Won’s place? And honestly, how often does the president even need to say my name at work?”
Joo Won’s expression visibly darkened.
‘It didn’t matter.’
He felt a sudden wave of confusion.
Didn’t she say she liked me? How could she not care if the person she liked got her name wrong? Why didn’t it matter? Why? Why?
Unaware of the storm brewing in his mind, Hye Ju scooped up some soup and said casually,
“Could you let go of my badge, please?”
“Oh.”
The moment he released it, Hye Ju—who’d been tugging it taut—lost her grip from the sudden slack.
And then—plop!
“Uwah!”
The badge shot up into the air and landed precisely in the seonjitguk.
“!”
The moment the square plastic plunged into the soup, bright red broth splattered everywhere. Crimson spots bloomed across her pristine white blouse. Hye Ju’s face turned red, then purple, then green—from being ambushed while eating.
“You jerk! What are you doing? You can’t just suddenly let go like that! That’s exactly why I suggested we take the photo in the lobby and be done with it! Were we enemies in a past life? Why do you keep picking fights over every little thing?”
“Who are you to talk?”
At the icy chill in Joo Won’s voice, Hye Ju looked up.
While busy wiping her clothes, she hadn’t noticed his condition until now. Instantly, a triumphant grin spread across her face.
“Kuhuhuhuh!”
She wasn’t the only victim of the seonjitguk attack.
Joo Won’s situation was even worse. When she’d hastily fished out her badge, the splashing soup had mercilessly assaulted him—his famously perfect face now drenched in red broth.
One particularly vivid drop clung right to his philtrum, trickling down like a nosebleed. Unable to hold back, Hye Ju burst into laughter.
“Pffft! President, your face…!”
“…Are you laughing?”
She shook her head vigorously.
Hye Ju bit her lips hard, trying to suppress her laughter—but once it started, she couldn’t stop.
Joo Won silently glared at her while wiping his face with a tissue. Dark, ominous energy radiated from his eyes.
“I’m sorry—I didn’t mean to laugh… ngh… it’s just that the soup splashed exactly like a nosebleed, so—ngh…!”
“Enough already.”
“Yes, sir. Nghh…”
“Haaah.”
Joo Won let out a deep sigh, slapped his corporate card on the table, and stood up.
“Clean yourself up and get back to the office.”
“You’re leaving?”
“Do you really think I can eat under these circumstances?”
Watching him storm off with a grimace, Hye Ju suddenly realized her mistake.
Did I go too far? He’s the company president—I not only subjected him to a seonjitguk attack but also laughed at him mercilessly… Could I end up packing my desk tomorrow?
“He wouldn’t be that petty… would he…?”
At that moment, Joo Won abruptly turned around. Hye Ju, caught mid-mumble, jumped in fright and immediately straightened her back with hands clasped.
‘Wait—did he hear me? What’s that look for? Is he about to hit me?’
Thud. Thud.
With each step he took toward her, her spine stiffened like it was being pulled taut.
Right in front of her tense face, Joo Won suddenly extended his hand. Hye Ju reflexively squeezed her eyes shut—but no blow came. Instead, a soft, fabric-softener scent drifted to her nose.
“Put this on.”
Thud.
What landed on her knees was the blue knit sweater he’d been wearing over his shoulders.
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.]
Most Commented This Week
The Villain Has Gone Mad For Me (Completed Main Story)
I’m The Lowest-Ranking Daughter Of A Martial Arts Villain (2 Chapters Left to Complete)
I Became the Assassin Family’s Foster Daughter (Completed Main Story)
The Duke Only Needs My Child (Completed Main Story)
Men of the Harem (137 Chapters Left to Complete)
At the End of Ruin, There You Are (56 Chapters Left to Complete)
She’s a Villainess but her Husband is Handsome (Completed Main Story)
People Aren’t Meant to Be Fixed! (4 Chapters Left to Complete)
My Discarded Fiancé Returned (Completed Main Story)
Summer Must Die (16 Chapters Left to Complete)
I Received The First Time Of My Extraordinary Superior (9 Chapters Left to Complete)
Regret With All Your Might (Completed Main Story)