“That woman announced she was pregnant?”
“Yes.”
“I had no idea such a thing happened.”
Walking down the studio hallway with Jae Ha, I narrated the incident that had happened in the office earlier.
Upon briefing Jae Ha about Seo Rin’s provocation and the ensuing conversation, he let out a low chuckle.
“It seems Yeo Jin likes to ‘give as good as she gets’.”
“I learned that approach from you, Jae Ha.”
“From me? I wonder how that became a thing.”
Laughing off my remark about learning from him, Jae Ha shook his head in disbelief and opened the classroom door.
“Have you arrived?”
Upon entering the kitchen where the lecture was to take place, Chef Lee Jong Il greeted us warmly.
“It’s been a while, Chef. So, this is what the original studio looked like?”
“Yes. We had to operate in a temporary studio because of the remodeling.”
“The ambiance is nice.”
Seeing them chat so naturally, it seemed Jae Ha and the Chef were closer than I had thought.
Looking at the Chef, who probably didn’t know who I was at the moment, memories from my past life began to flood back.
‘It’s been a while, seeing Chef again.’
“Speaking of which, your wifetobe is Anchor Yoon.”
In the middle of his conversation with Jae Ha, Chef Lee turned his attention to me with a delighted expression.
“Nice to meet you for the first time, I’m Lee Jong Il.”
The Chef, surprised by my unexpected visit, extended his hand towards me.
Seeing him, unchanged as ever, a rush of intense emotions hit me.
“Hello, I’m Yoon Yeo Jin.”
“CEO Seo didn’t mention that his wifetobe was such a celebrity. I’m honored to meet you in person.”
“I’m also honored to have the opportunity to learn from a star Chef like you.”
He grinned at my response.
Jae Ha, who had been looking around, approached us and asked about today’s class.
“What’s the menu for today?”
“Today, we will be making Gujeolpan and spicy braised short ribs. Are you both okay with that?”
“Sounds good.”
Jae Ha looked at me, his gaze asking for my response.
“Me too. That’s great.”
Both dishes were my favorites. Just looking at the prepared ingredients on the table, I was already excited.
.
.
.
After the Chef’s demonstration, it was time to make the sauce for the braised short ribs.
Chef Lee went into the office connected to the demonstration kitchen at the sound of a ringing phone.
The sound of Jae Ha chopping vegetables for the Gujeolpan filled the kitchen.
“Is the sauce ready?”
“Almost.”
Jae Ha paused his chopping and approached me with a plate of neatly trimmed vegetables.
“You’ve already finished prepping the vegetables?”
“Just a few. I also want to taste the sauce.”
“Would you get a spoon? As you can see, my hands are full.”
I showed him my hands.
I was still in the middle of making the sauce, and it wasn’t the best time to take off the gloves.
“Oh, the apron string came loose.”
As I tried to lower my hand that I had shown to Jae Ha, the apron I had tightly tied fell loosely.
Why did this have to happen when my hands were like this? Trying to take off the gloves would likely smear bright red sauce on my clothes.
“It looks like you might need my help?”
“I can do it myself.”
Seeing me struggling, Jae Ha smirked mischievously.
Watching Jae Ha’s teasing smile made me retract my intention to ask for his help.
‘Strange.’
I tried to lift the apron string, but it was barely hanging on, looking like it would come off at any moment.
“Ha, just ask for help. You’re being stubborn.”
Caught in indecision, unable to do this or that, he took a step closer to me.
A sigh naturally escaped me.
“……Could you?”
“I didn’t catch that.”
A lie. He must have heard.
There was a playful glint in Jae Ha’s eyes as he pretended not to hear.
“Could you help me tie this string?”
“Of course.”
Jae Ha, who came forward to tie my apron, blocked my front rather than my back.
Thanks to that, I ended up in an awkward position as if leaning into his embrace.
‘Why is he tying the string like this?’
His hand, extended past my waist to the back, pulled on the slack string.
I took a sharp breath at the force tightening around my waist.
Then, his hand, which had been tying the string while looking over my shoulder, retreated.
“Is it done?”
I asked, sensing his movements while staring at the logo on his apron.
It seemed to be finished since his hand had stopped, but Jae Ha, standing still in front of me, didn’t answer.
When I lifted my head, our gazes met.
Seeing his eyes full of mischief, there was no doubt that he had purposely tied my apron in front of me.
“If you’re going to tease me again, stop it.”
Stepping back from him, who was looking down at me, the tips of my fingers touched the table behind me.
“Okay. Could you get a spoon from the spoon holder behind you?”
He pointed at the spoon holder on the table behind me.
“I want to taste the sauce too.”
The spoon was within arm’s reach.
But seeing Jae Ha smiling as if he was enjoying himself, my lips moved on their own.
“I don’t want to.”
“……?”
Usually, Jae Ha was the one who always teased.
The Male lead Always Seduces Her with His Beauty (Matriarchy)
Xin Jiao Zhou is the leader of the world’s premier sect. She has just experienced betrayal from all sides, was poisoned in an assassination attempt, and faced death squad attacks while the poison was taking effect. After finally clearing out the scum from her sect, she was drugged again while trying to detoxify.
After waking up from a night of unconsciousness, she gained a “beautiful and kind-hearted” husband.
Xin Jiao Zhou: “???”
He fell ill.
She came to see him, bringing breakfast.
As she put down the breakfast and was about to leave, his hand slipped while holding the spoon. “Clank!”
She turned around upon hearing the noise.
He looked up at her, his eyebrows drooping: “My hand… has no strength.”
“Shall I… feed you?” she asked tentatively.
He opened his mouth cheerfully: “Ah—”
Thinking she was drowning, he jumped in without hesitation to save her, but nearly drowned himself. In the end, it was she who swam over to rescue him, giving him air underwater.
After emerging from the water, his ear tips turned red. He lightly brushed his cheek, tucking his sideburns behind his ear, revealing delicate, pink-tinged ear tips. He lowered his gaze, too embarrassed to look at her.
Xin Jiao Zhou: He’s truly beautiful, kind-hearted, and adorable.
A certain someone when disciplining subordinates behind the scenes: “If they don’t obey, just kill them.”
What’s that? She might already have someone she cares about in her heart? A certain someone: Find out who it is, kill them, and then there won’t be anyone.
What? She met a man by the riverside? What? That man even hurt her? A certain someone: Whichever hand hurt her, chop off his entire arm.
Love at first sight without realizing it, gradually falling in love, slowly getting closer…
Family and national grudges, schemes and desires, good and evil, crime and punishment, she and he face the future together, seeking justice with passion!
A naturally dark female lead who could accidentally destroy the world but is actually an honest person VS a weak, pitiful, and helpless but skilled fighter, beautiful white-cut black male lead
My heart is not of stone, how steadfast is your love? — Tao Yuanming “Imitating the Ancients (No. 3)”
— Reading Guide —
Cold female lead & dramatic black lotus with hidden yandere traits male lead
