While waiting for him to finish his work, Autumn finally found herself sitting across from him, with the contract laid out before her.
As she watched the ink seep into the signature line, she inadvertently began to fidget excitedly. Her usually composed demeanor gave way to an infectious, youthful exuberance.
Noticing this, he put down his pen and casually asked, “What’s up?”
Feeling a bit sheepish, Autumn scratched her head and replied, “I’m just so happy.”
Happy for being recognized for her art by him, of all people.
Even so, worried that he might see her as just a kid, she belatedly stopped her fidgeting and sat up properly, straightening her back.
He, catching a hint of her excitement, handed the pen and documents back to her, saying, “You do know not just anyone gets this opportunity, right?”
“Yes, of course!” she replied eagerly.
“Don’t take it lightly. Make sure you don’t slack off.”
“I won’t. I promise.”
She answered him earnestly, her heart swelling with joy.
Handing her the contract to sign, he said, “Now, sign here.”
“Okay.”
Finally, the contract.
Autumn took the pen and reached for the contract. Her cheeks flushed with excitement, unable to hide her elation. She carefully wrote her name in the signature line.
After she put down the pen, he gathered the documents and stood up. She followed suit, fumbling with her fingers and then shyly said, “Mr. Han Ki-tae, thank you. I’m looking forward to working with you.”
Out of the blue, he asked, “So, how long will you call me Mr. Han Ki-tae?”
“Pardon…?”
“Now that the contract is signed.”
“Oh…”
Her anxiety from the entire day melted away as she smiled broadly and called him by his new title, “Director.”
That evening,
Having completed the contract, Autumn felt an urge to start a new painting.
Her heart still fluttering with excitement, she headed towards the studio.
As she approached the main house, she stopped abruptly.
“Why is it so bright?”
Normally, the area in front of the main house would quickly darken, but tonight, even the studio’s shape was clearly visible from the front of the main house.
She followed the lights upwards, wondering when these lamps had been installed.
Just then, she heard a voice.
“Where are you off to, Autumn?”
Turning around, she saw her mother and Mrs. Ahn, a housekeeper, coming from inside the main house.
“I was going to the studio to paint a bit.”
“This late? You should paint during the day. Go to bed early tonight.”
“I just want to paint a little.”
“The studio is so isolated; aren’t you scared?”
“It’s okay now…”
Autumn said, looking at the lights.
“It’s bright now.”
The lights led up to the studio entrance, as if guiding her.
“I was always a bit scared at night.”
“Ma’am, why were these lights installed?”
Was it a whim of the chairman? Perhaps he found the path dark when returning late.
As she pondered, Mrs. Ahn explained.
“Oh, these lights? The second son ordered their installation.”
“Really…? But why…”
Suddenly, she remembered his visit to the studio about three weeks ago.
Realizing this fact, the warm lights seemed to fill her heart with a gentle warmth.
‘Should I thank him?’
Just thinking about him made her heart beat a little stronger.
A few days later, after receiving a call from Mijung, Autumn headed to the main house, relieved that Chairman Han had already left for work, allowing her to move around comfortably.
“Autumn!”
“Yes, Mrs. Han.”
Meeting Mijung in the main house after a long time, Autumn smiled awkwardly. Mijung quickly approached her, clasping Autumn’s hands in hers and saying, “It’s been so long since I’ve seen you, even though you’ve been in the annex.”
“……Yes, it has.”
Feeling a bit awkward because her ‘independence’ was the reason for this, Autumn knew she had been avoiding the main house to prevent uncomfortable encounters with Chairman Han, which also meant she hadn’t seen Mijung.
Soon, Mijung changed the subject, not wanting to dwell on such somber matters. She asked, “Autumn, you joined Ki-tae’s gallery, didn’t you?”
“Yes.”
“Congratulations.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Han.”
Autumn gratefully accepted the congratulations with a gentle smile.
Then, Mijung, with a sly smile, suddenly asked Autumn, “So, you’ll be seeing our Ki-tae more often now?”
“Excuse me?”
Autumn was taken aback, but Mijung seemed to take it as a positive response.
Handing her two shopping bags filled with sealed containers, Mijung smiled brightly at Autumn and said, “Could you deliver this side dish to Ki-tae?”
Autumn, having received the side dishes from Mijung, stared at the number on her phone screen. It had changed from an unknown number to ‘Director.’
“……Why am I so nervous?”
She hesitated to make the call, her cheeks flushing.
After taking a deep breath, Autumn cautiously dialed the number.
When the call connected and her heart fluttered, she heard his voice.
“Hello?”
“……Director?”
After Being Cheated On, She Picked Up a Treasure (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: The husband I married on a whim had been secretly in love with me for a long time.
On the day when Jun Shao finally obtained the imperial decree for her marriage, Lan Qu, the person she had admired for six years, defied the decree and ran away.
Her gentleness and devotion, her promise of a lifetime together, were all disregarded by him. Instead, he dreamed of entering the palace to serve the Emperor’s sister as a sixth-rank attendant.
News of this incident spread throughout the capital, and the alleys in front of and behind the Lan mansion were crowded with people who came to watch the commotion.
Jun Shao should have been embarrassed and angry.
But someone stepped in to protect her dignity.
The figure was in a miserable state, yet still possessed an undeniable elegance and handsomeness.
The young lord struggled to climb the wall of the Lan mansion and shouted to her, “If he won’t marry you, I will!”
So, Jun Shao took advantage of the situation and married the person.
She thought the young lord did it to save the Lan family from the crime of defying the imperial decree, but never imagined that from beginning to end, what he coveted was her.
*
After the wedding, Jun Shao felt like she was living in a dream.
Her Wife-master was as beautiful as a fairy in a painting, skilled in the six arts, well-versed in poetry and literature, capable of being gentle and attentive, and also grand and dignified. Most importantly, she was the only one in his heart and eyes.
Jun Shao didn’t know how Lan Shiwu, as a illegitimate son without a father and blessed with beauty, had managed to preserve his purity, recklessly escape, and use his last ounce of strength to ruin his own reputation, all because of his love for her, just to stand before her.
She could only see him gazing at her with eyes full of love, and when she bestowed a name upon him, his eyes shone like stars.
“You have come to me like a weary bird perching on a branch. I shall call you A Qi.”
