She opted for the latter and started to clean up, but Taehong lightly grabbed one of the remaining containers.
“Have you finished everything?”
“Yes,” Haegin nodded quietly. She had eaten her fill and had no lingering attachment to the food.
“All this is leftover?”
There was some extra food, ordered with the thought of sharing. Though she knew Taehong had a small appetite, she had thought the amount was manageable.
Swallowing the words that almost came out, she stayed silent.
“That’s why you’re not strong.”
Taehong clicked his tongue, seemingly mocking her. She recalled claiming to be strong that morning when carrying the suitcase, a mere ploy to prevent him from coming up to her apartment.
“Let me do it.”
Ignoring her, Taehong collected the dishes and left. Haegin quickly changed into sneakers in the car. She felt uncomfortable letting him drive any longer and didn’t want any more embarrassment due to her high heels.
“Manager, I’ll drive.”
“You should at least pay for the meal, Assistant Manager Jeong.”
Grasping the steering wheel, Haegin felt a sense of comfort. As she pondered the notion of ‘paying for a meal,’ Taehong rolled down the passenger seat window, inviting a cool breeze that flowed towards Haegin.
“So this is how it feels.”
Before Haegin could process his words, Taehong spoke again.
“I noticed you looking lost in thought, wondering what it feels like.”
“Don’t you feel better now that you’ve tried it?”
Agreeing with his remark, the gentle wind made everything seem blissful. For that moment, both Haegin and Taehong shared the same pleasant feeling.
“Yeah, it’s nice. Cools you down too.”
“You have a fever?”
Her voice was laced with concern. Even as she focused on driving, she couldn’t help but sneak glances at him, though he just looked out the window.
“Concentrate on driving.”
It was only the start of their business trip. The health and energy of her superior were paramount.
“Should I close the window if you feel chilly?”
But Taehong offered no reply. Until they reached a long tunnel, he seemed content just feeling the breeze. If this was his way of cooling down, she decided to wait until he chose to close the window.
They arrived on time for their first appointment. Haegin effectively handled tasks that were supposed to be done by Byung-su. Although she had to refer to documents occasionally, Taehong never rushed her.
Thanks to his patience, her work was thorough, even if a bit slow. After wrapping up the meeting and taking meticulous notes, they exchanged business cards and conveyed mutual gratitude. She needed to share these details with Byung-su, so she even noted their appearances. The successful completion of the first meeting boosted Haegin’s confidence.
After the third meeting, their day’s agenda was complete. The accumulated tension left Haegin feeling drained.
“This is harder than I thought.”
Her casual remark reflected her relaxation. Despite her experience, these meetings had demanded extra vigilance, especially considering she was substituting for Byung-su and it was an important trip for Yeonchang and Taehong.
“You did well.”
Walking side by side, Taehong casually praised her while checking his phone.
“It wasn’t an easy meeting, but Assistant Manager Jeong did well.”
His simple encouragement, meant as a standard gesture of support from a superior, inexplicably made her heart flutter.
“We’re heading back to the lodging now, right?”
Haegin asked casually. Just as she was about to set the navigation for their reserved accommodation, Taehong’s hand moved faster, covering hers.
In an instant, her smaller hand was overshadowed by his larger one. The warmth of his palm contrasted with the coldness of her hand’s back. His fingers, about to touch the screen, were caught by hers.
The mere act of holding his finger caused her heart to race uncontrollably. Such a trivial gesture shouldn’t affect her so much, yet her heart beat to its own rhythm.
Male lead reborn without memories — but he still falls for her.
The person he finds displeasing in this life turns out to be his cherished wife-master in previous life…
Xie Zhi and Fang Xianxing who had known each other for less than three days through a blind date sat in the same car in front of the civil affairs bureau. They had a disagreement and failed to get married.
Xie Zhi immediately took out his phone, slid through his contacts, and randomly selected the next marriage candidate.
The woman snatched his phone and hung up. Looking at his phone wallpaper, she awkwardly changed the subject: “An ancient painting, eh? It looks pretty good, it’s just that the person in the painting looks a bit like me.”
When he heard this, he sarcastically mocked her for being so delusional, completely unaware that, the person in front of him was the reincarnation of Wen Ru, the famous prime minister of Yuan Shun whom he most admired…
The female CEO who doesn’t want to get married with a divorce agreement in hand × The male archaeological researcher who will only get married if he’s sure he can get divorced
