How Can a Soldier Be So Fair? (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 1
The Spring Equinox, when life begins to stir.
Baegak Mountain was cloaked in green, brimming with life that had finally bloomed after a long winter’s dormancy.
Halfway up Baegak Mountain, a brown rabbit busily hopped from place to place, desperate to fill its empty stomach.
Still unfed, the rabbit spotted its favorite shepherd’s purse and immediately began gobbling it up hungrily.
So intoxicated by the fragrant scent of the herb, it failed to notice it was being watched.
At that moment, an arrow shot from the bushes, piercing straight through the rabbit’s body.
—Kreeeek!
Struck instantly in a vital spot, the rabbit let out a final shriek and died on the spot.
Only after confirming from afar that his prey had stopped breathing did the hunter cautiously reveal himself.
“A perfect hit!”
With neatly braided pigtails and fair, porcelain skin,
she emerged with sparkling black eyes—her name was Hong Yeon Woo.
Her palm-sized face, deer-like graceful neck, and slender frame gave her a delicate and elegant appearance—unexpectedly refined for a hunter.
Her cherry-red lips held the vitality of spring, and her gaze radiated bold confidence.
Slung over one shoulder was an ordinary herb pouch, and in one hand she held a bow—unusual for a girl her age.
She had climbed Baegak Mountain as usual to gather herbs for delivery to the apothecary, but catching the rabbit was an unexpected windfall.
She had brought the bow along merely hoping to catch a small animal during her mountain trek, and surprisingly, it had served its purpose well.
Yeon Woo strode toward the rabbit with bolder steps than most boys.
“Great! This should cover today’s wages.”
Yeon Woo lifted the rabbit, pulled out the arrow, and tied it to her waist.
Then she glanced at her herb pouch, now bulging full.
“I’ve gathered more than enough herbs for the apothecary. Shall I head down now?”
Just as she was about to leave, satisfied with her heavy pouch,
—Rustle.
A branch snapped from the bushes opposite her.
“?”
Yeon Woo instinctively turned her head toward the noise.
As she reached for an arrow from her quiver and slowly drew the bowstring—
a large, dark shape burst out from the bushes.
“Kyaaah!”
Startled by the sudden appearance, Yeon Woo shrieked involuntarily.
The creature that leapt out was neither a roe deer nor a wild boar—but a young man.
He looked about the same age as Yeon Woo’s older brother, staggering drunkenly, unable to properly steady himself.
He lost his balance and tumbled to the ground.
Yeon Woo rushed frantically toward the fallen man.
“Are you all right?!”
The man lay motionless with eyes closed, sweat beading on his forehead beneath his headband—apparently unconscious.
Yeon Woo grabbed his shoulder and shook him, trying to rouse him.
“Hey! Please wake up!”
His face was deathly pale, and he didn’t stir at all. Worried he might already be dead, Yeon Woo leaned her face close to his nose and mouth.
She heard a faint, shallow breath—he was still alive.
At that moment, she felt something hot and damp on the hand gripping him.
Her palm was stained bright red with human blood.
“Huh!”
Shocked, Yeon Woo fell backward.
Deep crimson blood was seeping from the man’s abdomen.
It had already soaked his clothes thoroughly and was now dripping onto the ground, forming a puddle.
“I—I need to stop the bleeding first!”
Panicking at the sight of blood, Yeon Woo fumbled anxiously.
Though the man was a complete stranger, she couldn’t bear to watch someone die right before her eyes.
“Forgive my intrusion.”
She lifted the man’s clothes to expose his wound for treatment.
The injury was far more serious than she’d expected.
His abdomen bore a deep puncture wound, as if pierced by a spear—not a beast’s attack.
“What on earth…?”
Stunned by the sight, Yeon Woo pulled out her handkerchief and placed it over the wound.
“Bear with the pain, please.”
She pressed her palm firmly over the injury to apply pressure and staunch the bleeding.
As the old saying goes, “Even a dog at a village school learns poetry after three years.”
To support her family, Yeon Woo frequently sold herbs and often visited the apothecary.
Though she wasn’t as knowledgeable as a trained female physician, she had gradually picked up considerable knowledge about medicinal herbs.
“Kuh-ruk!”
The man groaned in pain and coughed up blood.
Only after applying pressure for a long while did the bleeding finally subside.
Yeon Woo looked around for herbs suitable to treat the wound.
Fortunately, she already carried the necessary ingredients, and the rest could be easily gathered nearby.
She crushed the healing herbs together into a poultice.
Just as she was about to lift the unconscious man and prop him against a tree to apply the herbs,
—Sssshhk.
The cold touch of steel pressed against Yeon Woo’s neck.
Her breath caught in her throat.
“Huh!”
A low, icy growl followed the blade’s chill.
“Who are you?”
The man, now conscious, held a knife against Yeon Woo’s throat.
His breath came out ragged, as if he had just awakened.
Though barely holding onto awareness, drenched in cold sweat, his sharp eyes glared fiercely at her.
The murderous aura emanating from him chilled Yeon Woo to her very bones—far more terrifying than the blade at her neck.
“What were you trying to do? Speak before your head rolls off.”
He growled again.
Meeting a tiger in the mountains must feel exactly like this. Yeon Woo was so overwhelmed by his lethal presence that she couldn’t even breathe properly.
Her lips felt locked by a heavy padlock, utterly refusing to move.
“So you truly wish to die! Speak at once!”
The dark-eyed predator raised his voice—and Yeon Woo flinched.
Fearing he might really cut her throat if she stayed silent, she finally forced her stiff lips to move.
“I… I was treating your wound.”
Slowly, she uncurled her fist, revealing the crushed herbs, which released a curious herbal fragrance.
The man glanced down at his own injury, then shifted his gaze to her hand.
Though her hand trembled slightly from fear, her words came out surprisingly bold.
“Let me finish the treatment—please put your weapon away…!”
“What…?”
The man clearly looked taken aback by her audacity.
“Guhhh!”
But that was his limit—he groaned and dropped his arm heavily to the ground.
—Clang!
The sound of metal hitting stone rang out.
His face twisted in pain from the agonizing wound, and his hand holding the knife seemed too weak to lift it again.
Yet he never took his eyes off Yeon Woo.
“You’ll pay dearly for daring to touch me without permission… Hrk!”
But his threat was cut short as he coughed up more blood.
“If you wish to recover, you’d do well to stay still. Your actions only hinder the treatment.”
“…”
The man, now stripped of strength to resist the girl before him, had no choice.
He stared at her for a long moment, then turned his head away in resignation.
It was silent permission to continue.
“I’ll slit your throat the moment you try anything suspicious.”
Even so, he didn’t forget to issue one last stern warning.
Yeon Woo, refusing to be outdone, stood her ground.
“If you have enough breath to speak, use it to heal yourself.”
“…”
At first, she had been terrified of the man who’d pointed a knife at her.
But whether one starved to death or was slain by a blade, death was death.
Since Yeon Woo feared death itself—not the knife before her eyes—she spoke her mind freely.
Only after the man tightly clamped his lips shut could Yeon Woo finally refocus on the interrupted treatment.
As she gently applied the crushed herbs to his wound, she glanced at the man who had just threatened her with a blade.
Even drenched in sweat and blood, his exceptional looks shone through.
His eyebrows, dark as if drawn with charcoal, gave him a resolute air; his nose was sharp and straight.
His jawline was so finely chiseled it exuded elegance, yet his overall presence still carried a delicate handsomeness.
He looked like a young master from a noble household.
She couldn’t understand why such a distinguished gentleman would appear in the mountains in such a disheveled state.
Yeon Woo raised her sleeve to wipe the blood from the corner of his mouth.
But the moment she brought it close, he sharply turned his head away.
“Get that away.”
Interpreting his refusal of any contact beyond treatment, Yeon Woo awkwardly lowered her hand.
If he didn’t want help, she had no interest in doing him any favors.
Muttering to herself that it was his loss anyway, Yeon Woo untied the crimson ribbon from her hair.
Her black tresses tumbled down like a night sky unfurled.
A faint floral scent drifted from her hair, carried away by the breeze.
Delicately embroidered on the crimson ribbon was a lotus—symbolizing her name.
“I’ll wrap your wound now.”
To finish the treatment, Yeon Woo picked up the ribbon and moved closer to the man.
His skin radiated intense heat, as if proving he was still alive.
His ragged breaths echoed in her ear, and the moment her fingertips brushed against his feverish bare skin, her cheeks flushed hotly.
Flustered, she hurriedly wrapped the ribbon around his wound and completed the first aid.
“I’ve finished the emergency treatment for now. You’ve lost a lot of blood and sweat—you need to replenish your fluids.”
As if waiting for her to finish, the man turned his head and stared silently at his treated abdomen.
Only now did his tension seem to ease—he closed his eyes and leaned back against the tree to rest his exhausted body.
“There’s a stream nearby. I’ll fetch some drinking water. Don’t move until I return.”
At Yeon Woo’s words, the man gave a small nod—acknowledging he understood.
Yeon Woo grabbed her waterskin and headed toward the nearby stream.
Upon reaching it, the open greenery and the sound of flowing water refreshed her spirit.
She finally exhaled the breath she’d been holding in under the man’s murderous glare.
“Phew…”
She crouched by the water’s edge, then washed her hands—now stained with his blood and crushed herbs.
The icy chill of the spring water, untouched by the warmth of the season, climbed from her hands all the way to the crown of her head.
She muttered complaints into the flowing stream—grievances she’d kept hidden in front of the man.
“What a lunatic! He points a blade at someone trying to help him?”
Instead of gratitude, he threatened his own lifesaver—it clearly marked him as insane.
Even as she filled her waterskin, she kept grumbling.
“What did he say—anyone who dares touch him will face consequences? Does he think he’s the king or something?”
Shaking her head at the memory of his warning, she soon prepared to return.
Knowing the geography of Baegak Mountain well, she didn’t take long to get back—but what awaited her wasn’t the man, only the empty spot where he’d lain.
In the brief time she’d been gone to the stream, the man had vanished without a trace.
He’d looked too weak to even breathe properly—how could he have disappeared so quickly with such a wound? It defied belief.
“…?”
She searched the area, but found no sign of him.
After scanning the surroundings fruitlessly, Yeon Woo gave up on looking for him.
With that kind of speed, he’d surely reach the nearest village safely.
“How strange…”
She stared at the place where he’d been and brushed back her loose hair.
The still-chilly spring breeze stirred her raven locks, making them ripple like ocean waves in midair.
The encounter with the man felt as unreal as a mirage.
Thus began the first meeting between Yeon Woo and Geon.
★★★
Yeon Woo’s thatched cottage was old and shabby, looking as if it might collapse at any moment.
The paper on its windows was torn, and the sagging roof leaked whenever it rained.
Returning home, Yeon Woo handed the wages from her herb delivery to Madam Park, who sat on the wooden floor.
After checking the 10 pyeong in Yeon Woo’s palm, Madam Park’s brows furrowed deeply.
“Is this all—just 10 pyeong?”
“So I caught a rabbit too.”
When Madam Park complained despite Yeon Woo bringing money home, Yeon Woo offered the rabbit she’d caught earlier.
“…At least the rabbit’s pelt will fetch enough to buy Yeon Ho’s study books.”
Seeing the rabbit, Madam Park finally looked reassured.
Ten pyeong was indeed less than usual—she would’ve normally earned around 50 pyeong, but she’d used some of the herbs meant for the apothecary to treat the man in the mountains.
Knowing she’d only hear harsh words if she explained why her wages were lower, she chose to stay silent.
Yeon Woo looked around for her older brother, Yeon Ho.
“By the way, where’s Older Brother?”
“Why are you looking for him? He’s busy studying for the civil exams!”
Madam Park snapped irritably at Yeon Woo’s question.
Just then, as if summoned, footsteps sounded at the gate—proving the old saying true.
“Hey! Hic! Sister’s home, hic!”
Yeon Ho staggered in, reeking of alcohol.
Narrowing her eyes, Yeon Woo eyed him up and down.
“Did you go to a brothel again?”
At her question, Yeon Ho chuckled sheepishly and sprawled flat on the floor.
“Studying nonstop is suffocating, hic! I just went for a mood change, hic!”
“So while I’m working myself to the bone, you’re drinking and fooling around at brothels—with my money?”
“Hehehe.”
His carefree laugh made Yeon Woo’s blood boil.
She slowly reached for the bow beside her, but Madam Park instantly grabbed her arm in alarm.
“Yeon Woo! What are you doing!”
“Let go, Mother. There seems to be a bloodsucking pest in the house—I’ll squash it before it drains us dry.”
“C-calm down, Sister!”
While Madam Park held her back, Yeon Ho swiftly fled into his room.
Once Yeon Ho was safely inside, Madam Park’s voice turned scolding.
“How dare you act so disrespectfully toward your older brother!”
“Ever since Father passed away, haven’t I supported him entirely so he could take the civil exams?”
Yeon Woo had originally been the daughter of a noble family, but after her father’s death, their fortunes had sharply declined.
Their only hope of reviving the family lay in their son Yeon Ho passing the civil exams and becoming an official.
They couldn’t survive on thin air—someone had to support the family.
Madam Park lacked household skills, and Yeon Ho had to focus on his exams, so naturally, the burden fell on Yeon Woo.
Yet Yeon Ho showed no intention of helping the family—instead, he kept wasting their money, which infuriated Yeon Woo.
“How can you possibly pass the exams when you refuse to study and keep sneaking off to brothels!”
“He’s a young man—of course he needs a change of pace after constant studying!”
“Do you think I climb mountains every day because I enjoy it? If no one else earns money, someone has to—and that’s me!”
Yeon Woo finally unleashed her pent-up frustration.
She resented Madam Park even more than her irresponsible older brother.
They were children of the same mother—how could they be treated so differently just because of gender?
“You should get married instead! Since it’s come up—I’ve accepted a marriage proposal for you from Old Man Bae’s household.”
“A marriage proposal? What are you talking about all of a sudden?”
Stunned by this abrupt news, Yeon Woo was left speechless.
“A woman’s place is in the home, and marrying well is enough. As you yourself said, how long do you plan to keep climbing mountains for herbs?”
“Old Man Bae? You mean Bae Jin Seo from the neighboring village?”
“Yes. His household is financially comfortable—if you marry him, we won’t have to worry about food anymore.”
Yeon Woo gaped, utterly dumbfounded by this absurd arrangement.
Old Man Bae Jin Seo.
A merchant known in the village for making considerable wealth through trade.
Just hearing his name sent chills down her spine—he was infamous for his foul temper.
People in the market would shake their heads at the mention of him, and it was widely rumored that his wife had died young, unable to endure his tyrannical nature.
Yeon Woo felt bitter realizing this was how little she was worth in Madam Park’s eyes.
But the biggest problem was something else entirely—the man they called “Old Man” was already sixty years old this year.
Yeon Woo’s mind went blank.
“Absolutely not! I’ll never agree to it!”
No matter what it took, she would never marry that decrepit old man.
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
_____
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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