Haegin struggled as she dragged her suitcase downstairs. Taehong, who had come out at some point, easily picked up her seemingly cumbersome luggage.
He glanced at her high-heeled shoes and then back at Haegin, who was embarrassed by her now lightened load.
“You said you were strong.”
Without giving Haegin a chance to respond, he carried her suitcase to the car. As Haegin was about to open the driver’s side door, Taehong, who should have sat in the passenger seat, joined her.
“I’ll drive.”
“I can do it.”
Haegin tried to push Taehong away, but he was immovable. There was no way she could overpower him standing firm.
“Are you doing this on purpose?”
“Purpose?”
His head tilted towards Haegin’s shoes, and she, realizing the implication, waved her hands in front of her.
“No, no, I just rushed out and forgot.”
“Alright, then get in the passenger side.”
Haegin hesitantly moved to the passenger seat, driven by the thought of Taehong waiting outside. Had she thought about driving, she would have worn flats, but she was too preoccupied. As expected, Taehong didn’t miss a detail.
Although it was for a business trip, Haegin couldn’t help but feel excited about leaving the city. She was so engrossed in the scenery outside the window that she lost track of everything else.
“Assistant Manager Jeong, have you checked the details about the company we’re meeting today?”
Haegin quickly shifted her gaze from the window and opened a page in her neatly organized notebook.
“Yes, I have. Luckily, Manager Lee sent me some reference materials about the company before the trip.”
“That’s good to hear.”
After responding, Haegin turned her head back to the window. Taehong was somewhat more concerned seeing her quietly gazing outside.
“Do you enjoy being outside?”
“Huh?”
As Haegin looked at Taehong, the passenger window slid down slightly, allowing a breeze to flow in, which she enjoyed.
“It’s good that the weather is nice for our trip.”
Haegin spoke as if to herself, but Taehong caught every word.
“It would have been even better if it wasn’t a business trip.”
Embarrassed, Haegin pressed her face closer to the window. The wind blew her long hair around, carrying her scent to Taehong. He felt a warmth spreading through his body at the touch of her fragrance.
Hastily, Taehong closed the window. The car, once filled with the sound of the wind, became quiet instantly. Haegin missed the open window but respected the driver’s preference.
The navigation system announced an upcoming rest stop. Haegin glanced at Taehong and asked cautiously,
“Manager, we have some time, shall we stop at the rest area?”
“A rest area?”
His tone made it clear he hadn’t considered stopping.
“We can eat there as it’s almost lunchtime.”
Checking the time, Haegin persuaded him. After a moment of thought, Taehong steered the car to the right. The rest area was not crowded, being a weekday.
Haegin stretched her arms high in the air, yawning. Taehong watched her casually before walking ahead. Haegin hurriedly lowered her arms and followed him.
“What do you usually eat at a rest area?”
“Oh, a bit of everything.”
Haegin first looked around, identifying where the longest queues were. She then paid in advance and waited for her order. Her actions were swift and efficient, like a well-rehearsed script.
Haegin, with the brightest expression, sat next to Taehong, who seemed indifferent. After receiving their food, Haegin found a table and spread out their meal.
“Are we going to eat all of this?”
“Of course. Don’t you eat this much?”
“Well, I understand one menu item per person, but three seems a bit much, doesn’t it?”
Despite his words, Taehong appeared to struggle with understanding why so much food was ordered.
“It’s the charm of a rest area to eat a little bit of various things.”
“Just admit you like to eat a lot. Why try to sugarcoat it?”
Taehong teased but still picked up an item to taste. Haegin watched his reaction eagerly.
“Is it good?”
Without responding, Taehong quietly tried another item. Haegin kept an eye on his expressions and mouth movements. Only after he finished his coffee did he finally speak.
“It’s good.”
Haegin had been eagerly waiting to hear that, watching him eat. Pleased with his generous approval, a happy expression naturally appeared on her face.
“It seems Assistant Manager Jeong finds it tasty too.”
“Of course. That’s why we stop at rest areas, right?”
Haegin was still enjoying her meal when she sensed a burning gaze on her. Looking up, she found Taehong staring at her intensely.
“Manager, have you finished eating?”
“Yes.”
“Aren’t you going to eat more?”
“Yes.”
Was it a hint to stop asking or to focus on eating? If he was done, she might as well finish the rest.
After a few more bites, Haegin also finished her meal.
“I’m full.”
Feeling full, she leaned back contentedly. Taehong’s gaze on her, however, was intense. Alternating between looking at the food and Haegin, his intentions were unclear.
Was it because she ate too much, or was it a signal to hurry up and leave?
“Shall we go?”
Male lead is a Divorced Husband
She said to him: “Tell me, what makes you like me? I’ll change it!”
Liu Changning transmigrated into a female cannon fodder character in a female-dominant novel.
After reading the first half of the novel’s plot, the first thing she did upon transmigration was to divorce the Pan Jinlian-style male protagonist she had just married.
She indulged herself, pretending to be ugly and poor.
But as time passed, the way that man looked at her became more and more unusual…
Liu Changning was dumbfounded: Tell me, what makes you like me? I’ll change!
――
This lifetime, Pei Yuanshao was rejected by the same woman twice!
The first time, she drove him away. Forced by the situation, he endured the waves of anger in his heart, yielding and humbling himself.
That person lay slanted on a rocking chair, her sallow face emotionless: “If you don’t want a divorce, go cook!”
Pei Yuanshao’s face was dark and gloomy: “You!”
The second time, after the crisis in Jinling City was resolved, the new emperor sent someone to pick him up. He turned around, stammering: “I… I have to go. If you keep me…”
That person lay on the kang bed, her back to him, as if she had long anticipated this day, crisp and clear: “Goodbye!”
Pei Yuanshao was so angry his fingers trembled: “You… you!”
The mission of family and country made him restrain himself, averting his eyes and turning to leave this broken household.
Two years later, they met again. Seeing her ethereal face, his body shook like a sieve.
“She was originally a ‘she’!”
At the Qionglin Banquet, the top scholar of the imperial examination, a talented person with exceptional speech and conduct, all the unmarried young gentlemen from aristocratic families looked at her with shy and timid eyes.
The peerless imperial official Pei Yuanshao felt the anger in his heart erupt. He pointed at the woman surrounded by the crowd at the Qionglin Banquet, his thin lips slightly curled: “Little sister, I wants that person to be the wife-master of my Mingde Prince Manor.”
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