“So, you’re giving us that suspicious look as if you’re wondering where we got this?”
We can’t disclose where it was obtained, but rest assured, nothing illegal was involved.
“So, how much are you willing to offer?”
Idrish refreshed the flow of the conversation. The merchant placed the gem on a velvet cloth. I could feel the numbers racing through his mind.
Sir, please be generous.
“The gem itself holds immense value. I would be willing to part with it for at least 70 gold.”
70?
Wow, how many chicken skewers would that buy? I counted on my fingers. I wasn’t yet familiar with the currency here.
One gold for fifty chicken skewers… that’s 3,500!
I imagined myself surrounded by 3,500 chicken skewers. Using them as a bed, as a blanket… No, maybe I could even build a house with that many skewers.
Does this little thing really hold such immense value?
“But, as I mentioned earlier, how you acquired this gem is the issue.”
“Why is that?”
“If you were to put it on display in the public market, you could probably fetch that price. However, it would certainly lead to an investigation into how you obtained it. Well, if that’s a problem, you could use the black market… But then, I won’t pay its full value.”
“Get to the point.”
“20 gold.”
“What? That’s too much.”
I slammed the table.
In an instant, my 3,500 chicken skewers dwindled to 1,000. With that, I could only make a bed. A downgrade from building a house, how disappointing.
“I explained earlier, but I can’t do any better. If I give you more than this, I’ll end up losing in the black market.”
“Come on, that’s not fair. Even a bit more, like 10 gold…”
At that moment, Idrish cut me off abruptly.
“Alright, we’ll go with that calculation.”
As soon as the words left his mouth, the merchant swiftly picked up the gem.
“Okay, thank you for the good deal. I’ll prepare the gold coins right away.”
Wait!
“Also, you’ll accompany us to the black market.”
Upon Idrish’s follow-up statement, the merchant froze, staring at him.
“Black market?”
“If your words turn out to be false, you’ll die on the spot.”
The merchant audibly gulped, and then he spoke hesitantly.
“Uh, well… I, uh, forgot to mention, the black market rates have been quite favorable lately. I could probably give you a bit more. How about 30 gold…”
“That, um… I, uh, forgot to mention, the black market rates have been quite favorable lately. I could probably give you a bit more. How about 30 gold…”
Idrish remained silent, just gazing at him. The merchant’s pupils darted around.
“4, 40? I can’t go any higher, really.”
“Give me 70 gold.”
I looked at Idrish in astonishment. Didn’t he say the original cost was 70? It’s important not to get cheated, but isn’t this a bit too aggressive?
“Oh, okay…”
Okay?
The merchant readily accepted 70 gold coins.
He brought out a hefty pouch of gold coins, and the tears of the mermaid went into his velvet box.
I followed Idrish, poking him in the side.
“Aren’t we taking too much from him?”
“No.”
“But the original cost…”
“It was a lie from the beginning. If sold properly, we could get 100 gold coins for it.”
“What?”
I stopped in my tracks.
Was I too naive?
With a heavy pouch of gold coins in hand, we headed straight to the bustling downtown. It was a place filled with carriages and people constantly passing by. It was a lively area that could rival Central.
We went back and forth, buying everything we needed.
Masks, trinkets, and even shoes were newly acquired. Although already soaked, the most important item remained. The dress.
A dress for the ball.
It’s going to be extremely extravagant and beautiful, right?
You should be excited about wearing such clothes… Why is today so tiring?
I suppressed a cough that came out involuntarily.
Do I have the beginnings of a cold?
It’s probably because of the aftermath of being in the water.
Alright. Now that it’s come to this, I need to quickly choose a dress and go back to our lodgings to rest. If I sleep well for a day, I should feel better tomorrow.
“Why are you like this?”
Idrish quickly caught on to my condition and asked. I lowered my arm, smiling as if nothing was wrong.
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“Are you feeling sick?”
“I am, but it’s more like I’m tired. We’ve been on our feet all day.”
“You can rest from dress shopping today and come back tomorrow.”
“No! Let’s do it today. I’m excited to pick out a dress. I’m looking forward to it.”
I smiled broadly. There’s no need to go through all the trouble again tomorrow. Just trying on a few outfits…
However, within a few minutes of entering the dress shop, I regretted my decision. It wasn’t just about trying on a few outfits.
“Ouch, gently… Please, be gentle.”
My body wavered. This is torture!
“Madam, please hold onto the pillar in front of you.”
“No, regardless of whether I hold on or not, what’s the point… Must it be done like this… Ugh!”
When male lead is the homewrecker
“I know she doesn’t love him.”
I’ve read the novel below twice already. Girls, I’m highly recommending it to you!
The female lead? Not a good person.
The second male lead? Not a good person.
The male lead? Willingly plays the third party, breaking up the female and second male lead’s relationship despite all the warnings from his friends—so yeah, he’s definitely not a good person either.
Basically, nobody in this novel is simple-minded or without scheming.
The female lead starts off as the male lead’s secretary, but don’t worry—later on, she takes over the company while the male lead steps back to support her. He won’t steal her spotlight, overshadow her, or dull her shine.
I love novels where men are out here snatching wigs, tearing each other down, and going to war just to win the female lead’s affection. And this is exactly that kind of novel. Most of Hai Dai Ran’s works have this dynamic. You’ll see the male characters’ emotions being pushed to the absolute extreme.
There’s even a scene where the second male lead exposes the male lead online for being a homewrecker. The brotherhood immediately gangs up on him, dragging him through the mud. I find it compelling —it completely flips reality on its head, where usually, women are the ones fighting over a man and getting torn apart by the sisterhood.
For me, female leads in the novels I read should only struggle in their careers, not in love. But if the brainless romantics in the story are all men? I have zero complaints.
I’ve pretty much read all of Hai Dai Ran’s novels and even translated all of them—her works are just my thing. I’ll slowly upload everything here. One day, when my website is official, I hope I can invite her to join as one of the star authors.
Here’s the story synopsis:
One-line summary: She is his lifelong obsession, to the point where he was willing to be a third wheel, scorned by society, just to wedge his way into her relationship with her fiancé.
Cold-hearted and indifferent female lead + Scheming and subservient CEO male lead
Intro 1:
“I know she doesn’t love him.”
With blood trickling from his clenched fist, Rong Xiu gazed at the woman before him, his eyes clouded with anguish. Hidden in the wardrobe, he had witnessed Fan Xia – the woman he desperately loved – in an intimate embrace with her fiancé. Yet his heart still yearned for her, defying all reason.
Fan Xia, the elegant and composed assistant, carried something mysterious in her eyes whenever she looked at her fiancé, Wen Lan Sheng. Strange occurrences began to surface – secret meetings with the young Gu Jin Yi, an unexplained withdrawal of 5,000 yuan… Then suddenly, her fiancé’s sister, Wen Jing, violently attacked her.
In this matriarchal society, Rong Xiu had risen to become the chairman of a powerful healthcare conglomerate, breaking through gender prejudices. But for the first time, he willingly stepped into the shadows as the other man, disregarding his friends’ warnings to become her secret lover.
Because he had discovered the truth – Fan Xia wasn’t the pure angel everyone believed her to be. And perhaps, he was the only one capable of helping her execute her mysterious plan…
Intro 2:
Rong Xiu’s biggest regret in life was missing out on Fan Xia.
He secretly loved Fan Xia for 7 years.
Watched her go public with her boyfriend.
Watched her kiss her boyfriend at their wedding.
Until that man blissfully nestled in Fan Xia’s arms, obtaining everything he could only dream of.
The crazy jealousy stripped away his hidden secret love, layer by layer, burning like wildfire.
Fan Xia, how can I have you!
【Reading and Trigger Warning Guide】
1. Female dominant, male submissive, male pregnancy
2. Male lead schemes his way to the top, male competition
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Please help me, I want to bring you the best possible things.
If you find any chapter or novel with poor translation and editing quality, let me know by commenting directly under that novel or chapter. I will retranslate it as soon as possible.
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