In the dining room bathed in dazzling golden sunlight, Okhee placed a flower basket she had made in her flower arrangement class on the table. Smelling the fragrance, her daughter Yeonseo asked.
“It’s so pretty, mom. What flowers are these?”
“It’s a mix of lilacs, Yuldus roses, freesias, and tulips. You should join the class with me sometime.”
“I guess I didn’t inherit your craftiness, mom. I’d rather just look.”
“Who says you’re not crafty? You haven’t even tried yet.”
Despite her gently chiding gaze, Okhee’s eyes were warm as spring sunlight when looking at her only daughter.
Yeonseo, delicate as a flower carefully grown in a greenhouse, bloomed with innocent beauty, light as a feather and fragile as if she could be carried away by the wind.
“It doesn’t matter if you’re not crafty, you’re so lovely and beautiful.”
“Mom, today’s the day Taehui’s coming, right?”
Okhee’s eyes grew cold at the mention of Taehui.
“I wish she’d at least skip once under the pretext of work. She’s so punctual in visiting us, probably plotting to stir trouble with your father. So cunning at such a young age!”
The mention of that despicable woman and her daughter made her voice tremble.
Despite being timid to the point of not speaking up, Okhee had a surprisingly venomous side. The fact that they were still enduring in this neighborhood was infuriating.
Every time she saw Hyesook, Okhee felt maddening anxiety, never knowing when that woman might reveal the truth. Her heart raced with dread.
She constantly nagged Seontae, urging him to send that woman far away.
Each time, Seontae reassured her there was nothing to worry about from that woman.
Okhee had to resort to taking medication due to extreme anxiety, and she herself concocted the plan.
She cleverly spread rumors about that woman, using the townspeople to corner her. Eventually, the terrified woman stopped leaving her house.
Just when Okhee thought she could breathe easier, the real problem became that woman’s daughter. Unlike her naïve mother, the daughter was cunning, establishing ties with Sajun, ensuring Seontae visited their house and even securing regular living expenses. Even after moving to Seoul, she continued to regularly visit the Ilsan house, systematically upsetting Okhee.
“Don’t stress too much. Dad doesn’t want to go either. You know he’s doing it for us, right? Visiting that woman’s house unwillingly.”
Okhee knew that. Seontae’s position as vice-president of Songhyun Group, despite his lack of business acumen, was thanks to his appeal to Min Chairman about his relationship with Sajun and Taehui.
Unable to let go of her resentment, Okhee grumbled. Yeonseo gently continued.
“I’m actually grateful to Taehui. If she comes, I get to see Sajun. So let’s send dad off in a good mood, okay?”
“Ah, who did you take after to be so kind?”
Gently scolding her daughter, Okhee’s gaze fell to the floor.
“Yeonseo, could you give me those flowers and wrapping paper again?”
“Why? You threw them away to discard.”
“She likes flowers, doesn’t she? Let’s send these to her when your dad visits that house.”
Picking up the discarded wrapping paper and wilted flowers, Yeonseo smiled lovingly.
“Mom, I guess I’m kind like you.”
“People who have plenty should live generously, right?”
As Okhee started to reassemble the discarded bouquet, she began to hum a tune.
Despite two hours of intense weight training, Sajun’s overflowing energy was still evident. Trying to suppress his vigorous spirit, he headed to the treadmill, where he found Jinwon walking slowly.
“What does it mean when someone says you’re annoyingly handsome?” Sajun asked.
“It means they acknowledge you’re handsome, but that handsomeness is so overbearing it’s unappealing,” Jinwon replied.
The word ‘unappealing’ struck a chord with Sajun, who glared at his phone. Noticing his mood, Jinwon cautiously suggested, “Instead of waiting, why not just call Taehui?”
“Why should I? She’ll call when it’s time,” Sajun retorted.
Jinwon clicked his tongue. “Be nicer to Taehui. That’s how she’ll know how you feel.”
Sajun finally looked at Jinwon. “What are my feelings, then?”
“You like Taehui, don’t you?”
“Do I seem like I like her to you?”
“Isn’t it obvious?”
Lost in thought, Sajun fell silent. Jinwon continued.
“Even if you say you don’t, you’re always just receiving. Taehui always initiates contact, looks after you.”
Sajun had his reasons, unspoken to anyone.
“Act like we’re friends. I’ll do whatever you say,” Taehui had proposed on a rainy day, 13 years ago, offering an unconventional friendship. Sajun had a faint interest in her – everyone, including adults, tried to impress him, but Taehui seemed to dislike him.
It amused Sajun to watch Taehui, who clearly disliked him. It was a small amusement in his monotonous life.
“The moment we start liking each other, this friendship ends. That’s my condition,” Taehui had stated.
Accepting the proposal seemed like a no-loss deal to Sajun. Newly transferred to his school, student council president Taehui could be of help. If not, he could just end it.
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.
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