“Hong Yeonu. Look at me.”
Geon’s hand gently cupped Yeonu’s cheek.
Despite Geon’s warm touch, Yeonu’s heart was burdened with a heavy rock of guilt.
It was true that Kim Taeseok had been trailing Yeonu, and it was also true that Myeongok, while being pursued by Kim Taeseok, had encountered him and became a target of his attack. Although Kim Taeseok had accidentally found Myeongok while chasing Yeonu, Yeonu was unaware of this fact.
Yeonu merely thought that she had put Choane’s family in danger.
The fact that Dae-bok got injured also added to the weight of guilt in Yeonu’s heart.
If only she had been a little wiser. If only she had behaved a bit more uprightly, she might not have endangered those around her.
In the midst of sinking deeper into the swamp of self-blame, Geon spoke, breaking the moment.
“It’s not your fault. From now on, no matter how trivial it may be, share everything with me. That’s the only way I can protect you.”
The warmth felt through the palm of the hand. The pitch-black, deep pupils filled with trust toward her.
Geon’s low and steady voice, assuring that it wasn’t her fault, brought a peculiar sense of peace to Yeonu’s heart.
No matter how big the worries were, if Geon was there to protect her, it felt like everything could be resolved.
The words coming from Geon’s mouth had the power to make people believe.
“Remember, you’re mine.”
“Yes, I remember.”
“In the future, there should be nothing hidden from me. Don’t even lie.”
But not long after, Yeonu’s heart became heavy once again.
At the mention of not hiding anything, Yeonu’s heart throbbed as if it were a guilty person.
Yeonu was ready to say anything for Geon, who said she was his person.
However, there was one thing Yeonu couldn’t say—the fact that she had joined the Gwangho army dressed as a man.
If she revealed herself as a woman, she might not receive the same warm gaze from Geon.
Even if she spoke the truth about her identity, there was a risk of being punished for military crimes, and Geon might be disappointed and leave her.
Fearing to lose Geon, Yeonu couldn’t reveal everything, especially about her true identity.
“I will definitely protect you. I will always be on your side. So be honest with me.”
As Geon conveyed trust and deep affection, Yeonu’s guilt grew.
Was it acceptable to deceive someone who sent such unconditional trust?
“Make a promise. That you won’t hide anything from me.”
“…”
Yeonu had deceived Geon so far, and she had no intention of revealing her true identity in the future. If she promised not to hide anything, it would mean deceiving Geon again. Unable to comply with his demand, Yeonu’s silence left a sense of unease in Geon’s eyes.
However, Yeonu did not want to disappoint the owner of the affectionate eyes looking at her.
She didn’t want to make the person who sent deep trust towards her sad.
In the end, Yeonu couldn’t bring herself to answer.
“……I promise.”
“All right…….”
Despite the slightly delayed response, Geon cautiously embraced Yeonu.
Then, an intensely warm sensation was felt in the embrace.
‘I’m sorry, Gwangho Army Lord….’
Deceiving someone who trusted her so much.
Due to the guilt welling up in her heart, Yeonu couldn’t fully enjoy Geon’s warmth.
Like cotton soaked in water, Yeonu’s heart became heavier.
The chirping of birds signaled the arrival of daylight.
Yeonu, who had awakened from sleep, yawned as she sat up.
Because of the events of the previous night, her body felt stiff, and she didn’t know when she had fallen asleep.
Seeing that she hadn’t woken up in the middle of the night, it seemed like she had slept deeply.
“Ugh……. ”
“Are you awake?”
“!”
At the warm voice coming from beside her, Yeonu opened her eyes with a blink.
Looking around, she saw an unfamiliar space, and it didn’t take long to realize that this space was Geon’s bedroom.
Turning her head slowly, she saw Geon, who was already prepared to leave in his formal uniform.
“Gasp!”
Surprised, Yeonu took a breath.
She had fallen asleep in Geon’s embrace yesterday, but she was still in the same position.
However, normally, Yeonu would have woken up in the main room with the other companions.
But she woke up in Geon’s bedroom?
Seeing Yeonu’s puzzled expression, Geon explained with a nonchalant attitude.
“You were sound asleep, so I brought you to my room.”
Apart from Yeonu looking a bit disheveled, nothing had changed.
But since she had never entered Geon’s bedroom except when he was ill, Yeonu was taken aback.
A grown woman spending the night in a man’s room!
Although they had spent a night together before, it was at least in Yeonu’s room.
As Yeonu, flustered, tried to get up and leave.
“Wait.”
Geon caught Yeonu’s wrist.
Then, he gently pulled her, and the distance between the two became so close that only a fist could barely fit.
Without realizing it, their faces were so close that they could feel each other’s breath.
“Hup!”
Geon reached out with his hand to Yeonu’s face.
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.”
