Helena took a short breath and knocked on the door.
Normally, a servant or butler would have come to greet her from the entrance. But there was no one to welcome her.
“…Strange.”
Even though it wasn’t extravagant, after she became a Duchess, they had shown her some consideration. They replaced her old, crumbling house with a decent mansion, hired attendants to serve her, and even sent several horses along with someone to help manage the estate.
But now, the mansion was eerily quiet, as if everyone who should be there had disappeared.
“Is anyone there? It’s Helena. Could you open the door…”
As she was about to knock again, the door latch clicked and slowly opened.
“…Helena?”
The door opened just enough for a familiar voice to flow through, followed by a woman appearing a few seconds later.
It was the Baroness Matilda Owen.
“I hope you’ve been well, Mother.”
Matilda straightened up after confirming the uninvited visitor’s identity.
She did not hide her displeasure and scrutinized Helena from head to toe as if looking for flaws.
“What are you doing here without notice? And what’s with your attire?”
Her voice was sharper than her piercing gaze, pricking Helena’s heart.
Matilda quickly glanced around, then with a rough hand, dragged Helena inside.
“Come in first.”
Helena followed her in.
A strong smell of alcohol hit her as soon as she stepped inside. Familiar discomfort wrapped around her ankles, but she kept walking.
The inside of the mansion was a betrayal of her expectations.
Empty liquor bottles rolled on the table, and the attendants were nowhere to be seen. The house was covered in dust and some furniture was broken. Despite it being a bright day, the curtains covered all the windows, making the interior gloomy.
Matilda scolded as Helena looked around.
“How can the lady of a Duke’s house be dressed like that? Not a single proper piece of jewelry on you.”
“– Hiccup.”
Before Helena could respond, an intermittent hiccup sound came from behind.
She turned around, and what she thought was a pile of something wriggled.
Amid the scattered bottles, a man with bandages around his head slowly sat up.
“Ah, our lovely daughter has arrived.”
The alcohol smell intensified, and Helena’s head began to ache.
Though they were her family, the only ones she shared blood with in this world, their words felt empty and hollow.
With difficulty, Helena uttered his presence.
“…Father.”
He, like Matilda, scanned her up and down, then mumbled in a slurred voice.
“Do you have any money? Or maybe something valuable the Duke gave you. It’s been years since we saw family; surely you didn’t come empty-handed.”
Hearing the voices downstairs, her stepbrother Eric descended the staircase. Leaning on the railing, he sneered.
“Long time no see, Helen.”
His ungroomed beard couldn’t hide his bleary eyes. His pupils were dilated, and every time he opened his mouth, the smell of stale cigarettes wafted out.
Helena hesitated, then knocked on the door.
Usually, a servant or butler would have welcomed her at the entrance. However, there was no one to greet her this time.
“…Strange.”
Although it wasn’t lavish, after she became a duchess, some care had been given. They replaced the old, crumbling house with a decent mansion, hired attendants, and even sent several horses along with someone to help manage the estate.
Yet now, the mansion was eerily quiet, as if everyone who should be there had disappeared.
“Is anyone there? It’s Helena. Could you open the door, please…”
As she was about to knock again, the door clicked open.
“…Helena?”
A familiar voice came through the slightly opened door, and after a few seconds, a woman emerged.
It was Baroness Matilda Owen.
“I hope you’ve been well, Mother.”
Matilda straightened up after recognizing the uninvited visitor.
Without hiding her displeasure, she scrutinized Helena from head to toe as if looking for flaws.
“Why have you come without any notice? And what’s with that dress?”
Her voice was sharper than her piercing gaze, stabbing at Helena’s heart.
Matilda quickly glanced around and then, with a rough hand, dragged Helena inside.
“Come in first.”
Helena followed her in.
The strong smell of alcohol hit her nose as soon as she entered. A familiar sense of discomfort wrapped around her ankles, but she continued walking.
What she saw at the end was a betrayal of her expectations.
Liquor bottles rolled on the table, and the attendants were nowhere to be seen. The house was covered in dust, some furniture was broken, and despite it being a bright day, the curtains covered all the windows, making the interior dim.
Matilda scolded as Helena looked around.
“How can a lady of a duke’s house dress like that? You don’t even have a single decent piece of jewelry.”
“Hiccup.”
Before Helena could respond, intermittent hiccups came from behind.
She turned around, and what she thought was a pile of something wriggled.
A man with bandages around his head, surrounded by bottles, slowly sat up.
“Ah, our lovely daughter has arrived.”
Male lead is a clingy little husband
One-line summary: The male lead is initially an arrogant, noble, love-deprived brat, later a cute, clingy, scheming little jealous one.
Introduction:
One day, Lu Yuner’s soul transmigrates into a female-dominant world. She enters the Imperial Academy and takes up the position of a doctoral instructor, teaching classes and grading schoolwork.
One day, she encounters the young prince Su Qingwan secretly skipping class from the male academy.
As a result, Su Qingwan is punished.
From then on, Su Qingwan sees Lu Yuner as a “thorn in his side”.
But before long, this “thorn” becomes the person he cherishes most, and he goes to great lengths to win Lu Yuner’s affection.
Mini scene 1:
One day, the sun is high in the sky but Su Qingwan still hasn’t gotten up for class.
Servant Xiaoyuan: “Young prince, it’s time for class. You’ll be late otherwise.”
Su Qingwan says arrogantly: “I’m not going. I am the esteemed prince, my status is so noble, why should I suffer this hardship? Besides, isn’t learning all this just to please women? Hmph, they’re not worthy!”
Mini scene 2:
After Su Qingwan falls for someone, he completely changes. He no longer skips class and diligently learns how to be a good husband and father. But he discovers that Sister Yuner is always surrounded by admirers.
Drunk and overcome with jealousy one day, he clings to Lu Yuner, crying beautifully like a pear blossom in the rain.
Su Qingwan: “Qingwan likes Sister Yuner.”
Lu Yuner: “Young prince, you’re drunk.”
Su Qingwan: “Qingwan isn’t drunk. Qingwan likes Sister Yuner, likes you so much, likes you to bits…” Before he can finish, Lu Yuner’s eyes flash with emotion and she leans in closer.
[Reading Guide]
1. The female lead is gentle, gracious, humble and polite but not weak. The male lead is initially an arrogant, noble, love-deprived brat, later a cute, clingy, scheming little jealous one.
2. 1v1, a bit torturous in the beginning but definitely sweet later on.
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