My Husband's Cinderella (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 8
Coon.
It was a name she’d heard many times before, somewhere.
After repeating the man’s name over and over, Chloe soon realized its origin.
Now that she thought about it, it sounded exactly like the current emperor’s name.
Judging by their ages, it probably wasn’t deliberately taken from the emperor—it seemed more like a coincidence layered upon another coincidence.
“Nice to meet you, Coon. I hope you’ll take good care of me today.”
It felt awkward for Chloe to call his name so casually—as if she might be arrested any moment for royal disrespect.
“I’m likewise pleased.”
Now it was Coon’s turn to greet her. He managed to pair a simple reply with a smile that wasn’t quite genuine.
Was it simply fun spending time with someone, or was it especially enjoyable because that someone was Coon? Chloe was having a more delightful time than ever before.
Coon carefully selected only things Chloe liked, guiding her with uncanny precision—as if he’d already figured out all her preferences.
They visited a garden in full bloom and even went to a pottery workshop to craft a tiny teacup.
She’d always used artisans’ creations before but had never made anything herself. Though her teacup turned out crooked and imperfect, it still won Chloe’s heart completely.
Next, they went to the square to watch a clown in an absurd costume. Chloe even received a balloon flower as a gift from him.
They played hide-and-seek and a treasure hunt with village children who begged them to join.
Time always flies when one is happy. Before they knew it, the sun was already sinking low on the horizon.
“What shall we have for our final meal?”
At his question, Chloe opened her map.
Among the restaurants marked as popular, they decided on a sandwich shop.
They ordered the tuna sandwich and bacon sandwich recommended by the staff.
The thick tuna smelled wonderfully savory. Lightly seared skin released rich oils, and just as the flavor began to feel heavy, crisp vegetables refreshed the finish.
Though they hadn’t been particularly hungry, they’d somehow finished both sandwiches entirely.
Chloe normally disliked feeling overly full, but since her stomach was filled with delicious food, she felt satisfied.
“Freshly baked waffles! Try them with tangy strawberry ice cream.”
They were just about to leave when a staff member suddenly approached, offering a dessert plate.
The two exchanged glances. Clearly, neither had ordered dessert.
Then the staff member spoke up.
“It’s… a small gift for you both. Please enjoy it.”
“How kind of you. We’ll enjoy it.”
Usually, Coon would have spoken first in such situations, but this time he remained silent—so quiet it was almost eerie.
This time, Chloe offered her thanks with a polite, businesslike smile.
“Y-yes! Have a… have a nice day!”
The staff member’s face flushed red upon meeting her eyes. Even after the conversation ended, he lingered awkwardly before finally scurrying away like he was fleeing.
Chloe didn’t realize it yet.
That the dessert the staff member gave her was steeped in selfish intentions.
That someone else might find it utterly unacceptable for her to eat a dessert infused with another’s interest.
“I’d already looked up a dessert place separately, so it’d be better to move there.”
It was just as her white hand, holding a fork, neared the plate.
Coon, who had stayed silent the whole time, suddenly suggested changing locations.
“Hmm… this looks quite tasty, though.”
“But wouldn’t it be a shame to finish everything here? We don’t have much time left.”
“But you clearly called it our ‘final meal’ just now.”
“Dessert is separate.”
Could he really have a place he wanted to take her that badly?
Curious, Chloe ultimately decided to follow her guide’s wishes.
“Alright. Then I’ll get up.”
The two rose from their seats and headed straight for the exit.
After seeing Chloe out first, Coon was about to step outside himself when he noticed the staff member looking wistfully at the leftover dessert.
Perhaps it was the intense killing intent radiating even from afar—naturally, the staff member turned toward Coon.
What he met was a face so ferocious it looked capable of easily killing a man.
Then, the other man smiled brightly at him—a clear, mocking sneer only a predator would show its prey.
“Cotton candy?”
They’d arrived at a dessert cart in the square. The vendor was selling enormous cotton candy.
The vividly colored confection resembled sunset clouds. It was so huge, in fact, that it was bigger than her face.
One bite revealed a taste matching its texture—sweet candy that vanished instantly in her mouth, like a toy.
She rolled big clumps around in her mouth and also pulled it apart into thin strands like thread to eat.
“Is it good? You seem to really enjoy it.”
“The texture and flavor are both fun—I like it.”
That day, Chloe encountered the mystery of the human body—how food kept going in even though she was already full.
She savored it so thoroughly that the cotton candy was soon gone.
“Oh… I wanted to take one big bite…”
Chloe voiced her regret. She’d completely forgotten her plan to fill her mouth in one go.
She wanted just one more taste—enough to last her a lifetime without needing cotton candy again.
But she couldn’t indulge in unnecessary luxuries at someone else’s expense.
Just as Chloe was about to leave, setting aside her disappointment—
“If you’d like to take a big bite, would you care for another one?”
The vendor handed Chloe a slightly smaller cotton candy than before, now even more vibrant—shimmering with rainbow hues.
“It’s because your smile is so beautiful! I’d actually be grateful if you’d accept another! Ha ha.”
The vendor’s eyes sparkled. His gentle smile and tone were bewitching Chloe.
“Truly, thank you.”
What she’d intended to say was a kind, polite expression of gratitude: “I’m not sure if it’s proper to accept something like this, but I’ll enjoy it thoroughly.”
But what actually came out was a brief, curt reply—and even that sounded oddly stiff.
Coon had preemptively spoken before it was even her turn.
He practically tossed coins onto the vendor’s hand, his expression openly displeased—as if he’d forgotten to wear his usual polite mask.
Moreover, his tone, which had been affectionate and languid all day, had strangely shifted.
It was now haughty—the kind of tone reserved for those deemed insignificant or contemptible.
“Th-thank you…”
A soft voice slipped from between small lips. Trying to ease the awkward tension, she deliberately took a bite of the cotton candy.
When the atmosphere still didn’t lighten, she quickly bid farewell and led Coon away.
Perhaps by coincidence, the moment Chloe took his hand, his lingering anger—which rarely subsided—seemed to vanish.
The two walked along the promenade circling the clock tower.
As she nibbled the last bits of cotton candy, she stole a sideways glance. Thankfully, Coon’s expression had returned to normal.
“Why were you like that earlier?”
Reading the mood, Chloe asked quickly.
At the same moment, their synchronized footsteps came to a halt.
“Chloe.”
Her name, spoken raw and unadorned.
“There’s no such thing as a reasonless kindness in this world. Whether good or bad, people always have a reason for offering something.”
At first, she didn’t understand what he meant.
Only after slowly pondering his words did Chloe realize he was referring to all the kindnesses she’d received that day.
“If they’re all well-intentioned, there’s nothing to worry about. But this world is crawling with vermin.”
…Vermin?
Chloe was quite startled by this unfamiliar insult. When she secretly glanced at Coon, he wore an innocent, guileless expression as if nothing had happened.
“So be careful. You stand out wherever you go—it’d be wise to stay wary of strangers.”
Feeling subtly pressured, Chloe absentmindedly nodded.
‘Every kindness has a reason…’
She didn’t fail to grasp the meaning—in fact, she even agreed.
Her own family, who welcomed her warmly, and Kalis, who was only kind during banquets, were perfect examples.
What truly confused her was the speaker himself making this claim.
“And what about you?”
“…”
“You’re one of the people who’ve shown me kindness, aren’t you?”
The mouth that had been speaking so freely just moments ago fell silent.
Blink. Blink. Blink again. His slowly blinking eyes finally narrowed into crescent moons.
Chloe’s question tickled Coon’s heart—a surge so powerful it nearly erased decades of learned speech.
That she’d shown him, and only him, such raw suspicion and curiosity—that beautiful truth exhilarated Coon.
“Yes. My kindness has a reason too. Just like theirs…”
He continued speaking nonchalantly, then paused briefly—as if at the exact moment a strong wind greeted them.
He secretly glanced sideways. The woman tucking her hair behind her ear was more mysterious than anything else.
Even the way she turned toward him upon sensing his gaze was utterly endearing.
“I appeared before you with affection, just like they did, Chloe.”
“Then…”
Then, should I be careful of you too?
Chloe was about to ask, but quickly closed her mouth. His sudden shift in demeanor sent chills down her spine.
The eyes that had always held gentle warmth had turned cold. Those lake-blue eyes even seemed, for a moment, tinged with red.
As if he’d anticipated her question all along.
“Shall we be friends?”
But only for a fleeting instant.
When Coon asked again, he’d returned to the familiar self Chloe knew.
“If we’re friends…”
“It means exchanging letters occasionally, inviting each other to our homes, and spending time together—a very close bond.”
“…”
“It’d be such a shame to let our connection end with just today.”
As he made this sweet suggestion, he’d already stepped right in front of Chloe.
Impossibly, inappropriately close.
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.]
Well done girl. Direct hit in the middle of the forehead.
Yes, she is your mistress who revealed the secret. Helena proves stupid, but the Duke, as usual, will forgive her after two tears.
Yes, she is your mistress who revealed the secret. Helena proves stupid, but the Duke, as usual, will forgive her after two tears.