I Became a Mother (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 8
D-Day, the day of reckoning.
Hyo Jin stepped out of the fitting room where her personal shopper waited, wearing an elegant pearl-colored two-piece suit and white strappy heels that accentuated her slender, graceful legs.
“This season’s FW collection features this as the trendiest color.”
Her legs, stretching straight down beneath the A-line mini skirt, appeared even longer, and the transparent crystals embedded in the straps made her slim, fair ankles look even more beautiful.
After paying with the card Butler Pyo had given her, Hyo Jin entered the powder room inside the luxury boutique and tied her thickly waved hair into a high bun to appear more mature.
She didn’t want to look like a rookie among the other parents, who were mostly in their forties.
「Baby, how do I look?」
Hyo Jin, having finished her makeup with meticulous care, took a selfie and sent it as if submitting a final report.
「You’re beautiful.」
At the thumbs-up emoji, the corners of her lips—painted in apricot lipstick—curled up slightly, and her heart instantly felt lighter.
Well then, shall I go do something good?
Jeongeum International School Art Hall, a foundation-run institution.
‘Charity Art Exhibition for Children with Developmental Disabilities’
As she stepped onto the entrance paved with white marble, the automatic doors swished open, and the fervent voices of mothers spilled out.
“Did you hear? The kid who just transferred into Class 2-2 was expelled from a Singapore international school.”
Singapore? Isn’t that talking about our boss Baby?
Hyo Jin silenced her footsteps and held her breath, straining to listen.
“How can they possibly accept a child who got expelled?”
“I heard the school board strongly opposed it, worried it would ruin the class atmosphere, but the father insisted there’s nothing wrong with the kid, so they had no choice but to enroll him. He’s the head of a law firm—if he sues the foundation for violating educational rights, it’ll be a huge mess.”
If he’s a law firm head, it really is our Baby!
“They say he only has this one child, so the whole family must be deeply worried. That’s exactly why the boy needs a mother.”
“Oh dear, with a kid like that, how can the dad just stay put? He’s still young—if he remarries and has another child, it’s all over.”
Ugh. Making a slicing motion across her throat with her finger, Hyo Jin couldn’t stay quiet any longer.
“Did you all used to work at a raw fish restaurant? Cutting up someone else’s nine-year-old son like that?”
‘What? A son? If it’s a son, could it be…?’
Hyo Jin approached with sharp clicking heels, met their piercing stares, and lifted her chin proudly.
“I’m Seung Yul’s mother.”
“Choi Seung Yul, is this lady really your mom? You don’t even have a mom! Maybe your dad, sure—but a mom?”
Why’s there trouble again? Should’ve just watched YouTube to your heart’s content.
Seung Yul, who’d just finished class and was getting up to meet his teacher, frowned as he stared at the tablet screen Sung Joon was showing him.
He’d assumed it was another childish video featuring some female BJ.
“Huh?”
That really is the teacher!
Seung Yul’s eyes widened as he pinched to zoom in on the photo displayed on screen.
The tablet, synced with Sung Joon’s mother’s phone, was livestreaming messages from the moms’ group chat.
「Scoop! Choi Seung Yul’s mom has appeared!」
「Choi Seung Yul? Isn’t that the problematic son from the law firm?」
「She’s at the exhibition right now, taking photos of every single child’s drawing with her phone. Currently in a meeting with the homeroom teacher and the principal.」
「What does she do? Is she pretty?」
「She looks way too young—clearly married for money.」
「Then is it love? Even though she’s got a nine-year-old son?」
「Still, she’s gorgeous. And the dad’s practically a bachelor—young, capable, handsome.」
「I’d heard rumors he had someone to marry—but I guess it’s true. So that’s why he brought his son back to Korea?」
Ugh, this teacher is really something!
Seung Yul returned the tablet and left the classroom, already running.
“Thank you so much for hosting such a meaningful exhibition.”
The principal, seated across from her on a velvet sofa, straightened his back and picked up the envelope Hyo Jin had placed on the table.
“Though modest, please use this toward the exhibition proceeds for children with developmental disabilities.”
The principal and homeroom teacher’s mouths parted slightly as they opened the envelope and saw the donation amount.
“I don’t have much else to offer, but above all, Seung Yul was very interested in this exhibition.”
Hyo Jin lifted her teacup to hide her trembling lips, forced into a strained smile.
“Seung Yul’s been bragging nonstop to his friends about you—how you draw so well and play piano beautifully.”
Drawing and piano?
Her drawing skills barely surpassed stick figures, and she’d only just finished Bayer piano exercises.
“We happen to have a parents’ club at school—would you consider volunteering your talents?”
Oops. Startled, Hyo Jin accidentally spat out her tea.
“Are you all right?”
The homeroom teacher beside her handed her a tissue. Fortunately, the principal seemed to think it was just because the tea was hot.
“I’m sorry—I’ve been a bit busy lately.”
“Oh, busy with wedding preparations?”
“Well… yes.”
She’d say anything to escape this awkward situation.
“How did you meet Seung Yul’s father?”
“Oh, Professor Kim introduced us.”
Just recalling her first interview still made her armpits burst with nervous sweat.
“Oh—it’s time for my meeting with Seung Yul. May I be excused?”
Hyo Jin checked her wristwatch and stood up as if fleeing.
“Seung Yul, did you have a good time at school?”
“Welcome, Mom. Where have you been? I’ve been looking for you forever.”
Having awkwardly completed their mother-son reunion in front of the homeroom teacher and principal like reciting from a textbook, Seung Yul yanked Hyo Jin’s wrist.
“What are you doing?”
Once they reached a spot out of sight, Seung Yul jerked his hand away and glared fiercely.
“What? What did I do wrong?”
The boy who’d acted like a filial son just moments ago now behaved like an ungrateful brat.
“I told you to wait quietly until I came! Why’d you go meet those moms and claim to be my mom? What if it gets back to Dad? The moms’ group chat is already going wild!”
The moms in this district had intelligence surpassing the National Intelligence Service.
Even before Seung Yul transferred, word had spread that he’d been expelled from Singapore, forcing his father, Kyo Hwan, to submit psychological evaluation results from a university hospital to prove there was no issue.
And now she’d just set fire to that very group chat—it was only a matter of time before the smoke reached his father.
“Baby, I was going to wait quietly for you and just meet the teacher before leaving.”
“But then?”
“They were insulting you!”
Hyo Jin raised her voice, feeling genuinely wronged.
“How could I just stand there and listen as your mother?”
How could anyone calmly endure hearing their own child insulted? That would be even less believable!
“No real mother would stay silent hearing that! I was just responsibly fulfilling my role as a mom.”
She expected Baby to agree—but instead, he snorted dismissively.
“Tch. Like you’re even my real mom.”
Crack. Before even a full day had passed, she already heard the sound of trust fracturing.
“Baby, what did you just say? When you asked me to become your mom, where was this attitude? Now you’re scratching my heart raw? Is this how you repay kindness?”
“I only asked you to pretend to be my mom!”
Who ever asked you to become my real mom? If you’re that angry, just curse silently like Dad said.
“Fine! Let’s split up—right now! I’ll go tell all the moms immediately: ‘I’m your teacher…!’”
As Seung Yul grabbed her sleeve, Hyo Jin, already stepping away, stretched like a rubber band before snapping back.
“Hey! If you stretch it, what’ll I do? I was planning to wear this just once and sell it on Joonggo World!”
Seeing Hyo Jin fuss over her clothes and smooth out wrinkles with her palms, Seung Yul couldn’t look up from sheer embarrassment.
It was too late now to deny she was his mom.
“What exactly do you want me to do?”
“Well… since the milk’s already spilled, maybe we should encourage each other to do better and work together to fix things?”
Hyo Jin gave an awkward, coy little smile.
“Not. One. Word. From now until we leave this place.”
Educating me again, seriously?
“From now on, you’re playing the cold urban woman.”
“But I don’t want to! I’m a warm girl—I want to be a bright, warm city woman!”
“Ugh, let’s just go home.”
As Seung Yul dragged her out by the hand, a girl with deep brown hair like a Maron doll and striking features stood there, her eyes sparkling brightly.
Who is this exotic-looking girl?
Embroidered in crimson thread on the chest of the mysterious girl’s uniform was the name ‘Kim Roy’.
“Seung Yul, your mom is really pretty.”
She looks lovely—and speaks so sweetly too?
“Really? To me, you’re way prettier.”
Why is he like this? I told him not to say a word!
“Are your mom or dad from a foreign country?”
“Yes, my mom’s from Sweden.”
Ah—that’s why she looks so exotic. No wonder.
When Hyo Jin tried to continue chatting, Seung Yul glared fiercely and mimed zipping his lips shut.
Keep quiet. She clearly told him not to speak—and yet she’s talking again.
“Auntie, can I come play at Seung Yul’s house?”
“Huh? You want to come over?”
That’s a bit awkward.
“Kim Roy, I’m too busy studying to play. If I don’t prepare thoroughly now, it’ll be even harder to compete when I reach third grade!”
“No way! My mom says I should play as much as I want right now.”
“Wow, your mom said that?”
She thought all the moms here were like the Parent Council types.
“Where’s Roy’s mom now?”
While Seung Yul grew anxious, Hyo Jin was already globally overstepping—extending her nosiness all the way to Roy’s mother.
“She’s at work.”
“At work? What does she do?”
“She’s a lawyer.”
“Really? Actually, Seung Yul’s dad is too.”
“I know. Choi Go Hwan, right?”
“It’s Choi Kyo Hwan, not Go Hwan!”
Seung Yul flushed crimson in anger.
“Would you like it if I called you ‘Oy’ instead of ‘Roy’?”
“Why? It doesn’t bother me.”
Roy, having no idea what ‘Go Hwan’ meant, couldn’t understand why Seung Yul was so furious.
“Roy, I’ll give you my number—next time you want to play with Seung Yul, contact me first? I can’t promise for sure, but I’ll let you know if we can.”
Seeing Hyo Jin exchange phone numbers, Seung Yul stood there, utterly speechless, mouth agape.
“Roy, it was nice meeting you! Take care!”
Just as she was dragging Hyo Jin out—waving like a scatterbrained busybody instead of the cool urban woman—
“Didn’t Seung Yul’s father come with you?”
She’d dodged a rabbit only to be blocked by a tiger.
“I was too flustered earlier to greet you properly. I’m Sung Joon’s mother, head of the Parent Council.”
“Oh, so you’re the Parent Council representative.”
Earlier, she’d viciously speculated that if a younger sibling were born, it’d be the end for our Baby.
So she’s the one gossiping about me in that group chat.
Grinding her teeth, Hyo Jin tightly gripped Seung Yul’s hand as he instinctively tried to step back.
‘Baby, it’s okay. Just trust me.’
Feeling the cold chill in his hand, she squeezed it firmly, as if to reassure him, and shared her warmth.
“Why didn’t Seung Yul’s father come with you?”
“Mrs. Sung Joon, aren’t the children the stars today?”
“…?”
“Then why aren’t you asking about the kids—but so curious about Seung Yul’s father…?”
“…”
“Is it strange that I think this way? I’m here because of our Seung Yul—not because of his father.”
Why does everyone keep interrogating her like this?
“You’ll need to pay extra attention to Seung Yul from now on. Some mothers always assume you’re raising him carelessly just because he’s not your biological child. Of course, I’m not one of them.”
The woman calling herself Sung Joon’s mother had just delivered a so-called “advice” that scraped Hyo Jin raw.
“Oh, absolutely. There are so many mothers who manipulate their kids however they like, all under the pretense of ‘caring for their children.’”
Zzrrt. The mental steam blast had already vaporized any lingering sense of obligation Hyo Jin had toward Kyo Hwan.
“Wouldn’t a mom like me—who shares no blood with him but can actually comfort him—be better for a child than biological mothers who boast about giving birth and end up hurting him?”
Male lead Asks for a Divorce Every Day
It’s not often you come across a plot like this in the female-dominant genre — make sure to check it out!
This is a novel I’m planning to reread as well.
The male lead is strong, skilled in martial arts, and not the usual fragile type you often see in matriarchal novels.
Meanwhile, the female lead is a scientist—rational and logical. Even when she falls for the male lead, she doesn’t let her emotions cloud her decisions.
If you push through the first few chapters, you’ll gradually find the story really intriguing.
It has a mix of mystery, detective elements, and romance.
The author’s writing style is like crafting a puzzle—except they deliberately leave out a few pieces, making it hard to predict what happens next, yet keeping you hooked.
In the end, everything will come together and be explained.
One-sentence summary: Wife, stop playing with beakers and look at me!
In a laboratory accident, research scientist Zhu Wansheng accidentally travels to a matriarchal world. The original owner of the body is an eighteen-year-old only daughter of a wealthy rouge merchant, already married with a handsome young man.
Zhu Wansheng grins: Nice! She always said she was heaven’s favorite granddaughter. After a life of toil in her previous life, she can enjoy blessings in this one.
However, her joy lasts no more than three seconds as bad news arrives: the original owner’s family is about to go bankrupt, and her husband wants a divorce.
Even worse, she’s stuck with a research system full of restrictions.
Zhu Wansheng: ? Is this the destiny of a research dog?
——
Faced with this mess, Zhu Wansheng pours herself a bowl of wine to drown her sorrows. In her drunken haze, her husband arrives.
His figure is imposing, holding a long sword, with a dignified air that captivates Zhu Wansheng.
Gu Yingqing, however, looks at the alcohol-reeking Zhu Wansheng with undisguised disgust and coldly asks, “Divorce or not?” The intoxicated Zhu Wansheng mumbles vaguely, “I think… it’s not… it’s not… impossible!”
——
The next day, after sobering up, Zhu Wansheng is full of energy, rolling up her sleeves ready to make a big move. As for yesterday? She has no memory of it.
Zhu Wansheng is ambitious; a research dog fears nothing!
Upgrading rouge, extracting fragrances, producing perfumes, researching lipsticks… all shall bow to the power of modern technology!
The original owner’s dying rouge shop is revitalized. Her mother is pleased and with a wave of her hand, passes on the family business to her. As she takes control and her experimental results gain popularity, it’s the pinnacle of her life…
——
But there are always those who can’t stand to see her doing well. Jealousy, scheming, assassination attempts – they want nothing less than her life.
The person who has always kept his distance from her suddenly holds her tightly in his arms, eyes full of concern.
She is unharmed, but he falls into a pool of blood…
Zhu Wansheng feels guilty, “I can grant you one wish.”
Gu Yingqing tentatively circles his arms around her, carefully resting his head in the crook of her neck, pleading softly, “I regret it. Can we not divorce?”
Zhu Wansheng: ? When did I agree to a divorce?
[Small Theater]
The newly developed rouge is beautifully packaged, and Zhu Wansheng is eager to try it.
Gu Yingqing suddenly appears: “My lady, may I apply it for you?”
Cool fingertips lightly brush her lips. His Adam’s apple bobs as he leans in for a light bite.
Zhu Wansheng: ?
Gu Yingqing: It smells so good, I wanted to taste it…
On a warm spring day, Zhu Wansheng tries a new perfume: “Spring Night.” Gu Yingqing corners her against a wall.
Warm breath lingers on her neck.
“My lady, from now on, may I test the fragrances for you?”
[Humorous female scientist vs scheming live-in son-in-law male lead]
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
Took back his own words real fast, funny man. Wonder what her message is
He really is a bad father. Kinda sad how he just left his son alone.