“Ah, I happened to come out nearby, and it seemed like you might be busy, so I wanted to leave a memo or something…!”
Before Hyojin could finish speaking, he approached, snatching a notebook hidden behind him.
“Is it because I’m often angry?”
Hyojin stared at the notebook without saying a word, observing the exchange of glances in silence.
“Um, have you seen the photo sent by Kang Hanna, the announcer?”
Even as she spoke, she squinted her eyes, as if regretting her own words, swallowing hard like sipping bitter lemon.
“Yes. The man looked very handsome.”
“Oh, really? Ugh, what are you saying? My father is much more handsome!”
Hyojin widened her eyes as if to emphasize that comparison was impossible.
Nonchalantly, Exchange shrugged and handed over the notebook.
“What’s going on at the company? We agreed to take some time to think about each other for a while.”
“Ah…”
In his indifferent demeanor, there was an implicit blame for breaking the unspoken promise.
“I’m sorry. Actually, I was going to call, but it seemed more appropriate to visit and apologize in person.”
“Well, from Grandma’s perspective, it’s natural since I’m not likable.”
Exchange seemed understanding, but to Hyojin, it sounded more like sarcasm.
“Don’t worry too much about Grandma. She may not know much about Dad now, but when she gets to know him, she’ll support him more than anyone.”
“How can you be so sure?”
Exchange, unable to reveal the truth due to the request for secrecy, looked at her with a mocking gaze, smiling brightly.
“Let’s go. I’ll take you to the first floor.”
Exchange, who entered the elevator first, pressed the button, waiting for Hyojin to join.
Hyojin reluctantly stepped into the elevator where he was waiting.
“Um, Dad.”
Fortunately, in the elevator going down to the first floor, there were only Hyojin and Exchange.
“I missed you.”
At the shy voice that seeped into his ears, Exchange closed his eyes and remained silent.
“It’s only been a day, but it felt so long. Didn’t you miss me, Dad?”
I missed you. Like crazy.
Ironically, when he saw Hyojin standing in front of the office earlier, he missed her so much that it seemed like an illusion.
But what’s the use of that?
These sweet moments will eventually scratch and hurt each other more in the future.
Like a double-edged sword.
“How’s Yul doing? Back then, Dad kicked the teacher out, and I made a fuss. Now, he doesn’t say such things anymore. It’s regrettable.”
“…”
Though meant as a joke, instead of being amusing, his avoidance made Hyojin more uneasy.
Did he get angry because I didn’t talk about Dad last time?
Come to think of it, in his social position and role, it could be a significant problem.
A woman considered as the wife of the household, even if unruly, should at least not cause trouble.
If this fact were known to the outside world, it could be not just unpleasant but potentially a fatal problem for him.
Although he escaped criminal punishment because Dad passed away, isn’t he still the perpetrator of an accident that caused many victims?
If those debtors who suffered because of Dad find out, they might even gossip about Dad.
While thinking about such things, the elevator had already arrived at the first floor.
“Um… Dad.”
Hyojin stepped out, and Exchange, who was about to go back up in the elevator, pressed the open button and looked at her.
“…?”
Approaching him with small steps, Hyojin gathered courage and looked Exchange in the eyes.
“Um, Dad, there’s something I want to tell you.”
Instead of asking, “What is it?” when faced with her gaze fixed on him, Hyojin had to lower her head and swallow the lump in her throat.
“I told you before. How Dad passed away and left so much debt.”
That’s why Dad was angry. Dad also said that.
(Note: This translation is a direct rendering of the given Korean paragraph into English. Please note that certain nuances and cultural aspects may not be fully captured in the translation.)
“I told Teacher Bong everything, but I don’t know anything about Teacher Bong himself.”
Moreover, it’s not just our issue, and Seungyuri has a say in it.
“Okay. If you don’t want to talk, you don’t have to.”
As if already knowing everything, Exchange pressed the elevator button without the need for further effort.
But the door didn’t close. Because Hyojin was pressing the button.
“It’s not that I couldn’t trust Dad, but I was too embarrassed to speak.”
No one wants to show a pitiful side to someone they like.
“But now, if Dad is okay with it, I want to talk.”
About how I lived before meeting Dad. Because we’re going to be a family in the future.
“Come to think of it, Dad always told me everything honestly, but I haven’t told him anything?”
Instead, I lied to avoid being left behind.
When Dad asked if it was the first kiss, I said it was the fifty-eighth.
Even though everything with him was a first for me.
First love, first kiss, first overnight stay, first trip.
“I have to go into the meeting now, so let’s talk next time.”
When scheming men desperately battle for her favor in the male harem
This one’s also on my reread list! The rivalry, scheming between the men in the imperial harem are just as intense and thrilling as in classic palace drama novels, where concubines fight to the death. Give it a read, girls! I promise you won’t be disappointed.
Synopsis:
“I am not worthy of her… but I still want to be by her side, even if only as a loyal dog…”
Those were the painful whispers of Yue Guanyi – the proud Crown Prince of the Great Qi, who was torn between deep love and a guilty conscience. Despite holding the supreme power of the Imperial Guard, he still could not forget the dark past when he was sold into a brothel.
Fate played a cruel twist when Qiu Shuzhi – a young female official who had just passed the imperial examinations with top honors – stepped into his life. She did not know that she was the one who had saved him from a tragic fate many years ago. And now, her heart was the target of pursuit for both Yue Guanyi and the powerful Empress Dowager Qin Qing.
While Yue Guanyi only dared to silently care for and protect the one he loved from afar, the Empress Dowager Qin Qing openly expressed his feelings and did not hesitate to take advantage of his power to approach Qiu Shuzhi. The covert struggle between the two most powerful forces in the imperial court began…
Trigger warning: All men in this novel are yandere style.
_____
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.
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
