It felt suffocating, as if a boulder had been placed on my chest.
As breathing returned, a pain that seemed to pierce the lungs followed.
Finding it difficult to breathe, Litania opened her eyes, gasping.
Her head was spinning.
Light gradually entered her dim vision, and the vague shapes that had appeared as if seen through foggy glass gradually became clear.
Litania slowly blinked as she met blue eyes with hair that shimmered like waves of light.
Was she seeing things?
Was it a dream?
Or was she already dead and seeing her life flash before her eyes?
As she silently blinked, Orbis slowly waved his hand in front of her face.
“Are you conscious, Litania?”
“……Orbis.”
“You recognize me.”
“How could I not recognize you?”
Orbis smiled softly at Litania’s response.
He gently touched between her chest while tidying her disheveled hair to one side.
The warmth of his large palm seeped through her clothes, and the piercing pain soon disappeared.
“You should be fine now, Litania. You’re safe.”
“Safe……”
“I wanted to rescue you right away, but I was held up by troublemakers. I didn’t mean to just watch.”
“Pfft…… *cough*!”
Litania suddenly laughed at his words that sounded like an excuse, then coughed several times in succession.
Orbis supported her by cradling the back of her neck and soothed her rapidly rising and falling chest.
“You shouldn’t move suddenly. Stay lying down a little longer.”
Litania felt a sense of relief at Orbis’s gaze and voice looking down at her.
It had been so cold when she fell into the water, but now it was warm.
‘This is……’
Litania rolled her eyes to survey the cabin where she was lying.
It was a cozy and neat space. The small but comfortable bed was placed in the center, and a rustling pillow and freshly laundered blanket comfortably enveloped her.
There were shelves and cabinets made of luxurious wood on the walls, and a small desk and chair were also provided.
An elegantly decorated lamp was shining brightly by the door, and its warm yellow light was quietly illuminating the cabin.
The window was covered with curtains, but beyond them, the faint sound of waves lapping could be heard.
“Orbis. How are you here?”
“I didn’t see you at the hunting festival, so I wanted to see your face before returning to the Dragon City.”
“I didn’t see you at the party venue.”
“I’m hurt that you didn’t notice my magic.”
Magic that changes appearance and lowers perception.
Since she couldn’t recognize him unless he was very close, it seemed he had kept his distance and circled around her.
“You really are a persistent man.”
“Isn’t it more interesting when you can’t predict?”
“No, it’s uncool. A man should have a bold taste.”
“Is that so?”
A large shadow suddenly climbed onto the bed.
As Orbis’s body loomed over hers, the yellow light was blocked and the surroundings darkened.
“Does this look bold?”
“This is a threat.”
“For a threat, you don’t look very threatened.”
“Well……”
Because Orbis would never threaten her.
Although he was in a position that looked like he was pouncing on her on the bed, if Litania didn’t want it, he wouldn’t lay a finger on her body.
“You’re not a gentleman, but.”
“Not a gentleman, but?”
“When I ask you to act like a gentleman, you do a good job of pretending.”
His smooth lips thinned. Eyes holding a warm blue gaze turned towards her.
A seductive expression gradually appeared on his neat face.
Feeling his face drawing closer, Litania averted her gaze and opened her mouth.
“……What happened to Herna?”
“Hmm.”
Orbis’s shoulders flinched and his movement stopped, then he soon raised his upper body. The yellowish light returned to her previously darkened vision.
“The emperor is probably interrogating her.”
“It’s His Majesty’s wedding night. It should be their first night together.”
“A regrettable affair.”
Orbis shrugged playfully with a smile.
What a brazen attitude after ruining someone else’s wedding night. Litania let out a light sigh.
“You’ve given His Majesty one more reason to dislike you.”
“The one who caused it was that obstacle. Not me.”
“……Don’t call people obstacles.”
“You’re probably the only one who still respects someone who tried to harm you twice as a person, Litania.”
Litania felt a bit stung by his subtle yet cutting words.
Herna had tried to kill her. First, she tried to stab her with a knife, and when she fell into the water, she tried to drown with her.
Litania could no longer forgive Herna. She didn’t like spending her time on revenge, but Herna had already crossed the line. If left alone, she would try to harm her again someday.
“I need to go see His Majesty.”
“If you go now, you’ll really be interrupting their wedding night.”
Orbis gently held Litania’s shoulder as she tried to get up and laid her back down on the bed. The night sky visible through the fluttering curtains was pitch black, not even a star in sight.
“You can’t escape on a ship anyway. When we return to the capital, you’ll be transferred, and this time you’ll surely be locked up in the underground prison. And……”
Orbis trailed off and grinned.
“Orbis?”
“Litania. Do you want an apology from Herna?”
It was an unexpected question. Litania thought for a moment and then shook her head.
Herna would never apologize to Litania. She would probably still be frustrated that she couldn’t kill her.
She didn’t want to receive a forced apology from such a Herna, and if she apologized sincerely, she didn’t want to hear it even more.
“I’m the type of person who holds grudges.”
“That’s just like you.”
“Orbis. When you say it like that, it sounds like an insult.”
“It’s the truth, isn’t it? You’re still pushing me away too.”
His long fingers lightly tapped her nose and pulled away.
Litania looked up at him with a sulky face at his teasing action.
“Litania. You don’t know how to release anger.”
“What?”
“That’s why you couldn’t teach me either.”
Orbis, who always avoided anger by eliminating the object of his irritation. Litania, who concluded her emotions by making herself disappear when she got angry.
The two had never properly clashed.
If they fought, that was the end of it.
They had never exposed their emotions to the point of clashing several times until they felt better.
Perhaps that’s why their farewell trip was so beautifully painful.
“Litania. Is there anything you wanted to say to me? Words of resentment, anything. To pour out your feelings.”
“……No. There’s nothing.”
As Litania shook her head, Orbis’s eyes narrowed.
“I have something.”
“What?”
“That day at the masquerade, you left holding that man’s hand, didn’t you?”
“That’s because Bain was my partner. You suddenly appeared.”
“I know. But I still didn’t like it.”
“It’s natural for me to leave with my partner, so why don’t you like it?”
“Even if it’s natural, I can still dislike it. Because it made me feel bad.”
“That’s unreasonable.”
“The emotions you taught me were always this unreasonable. To the point where I was on edge about everything that brushed past you.”
“……I rejected him.”
Litania sighed softly and reached out her hand. Then she lightly tugged on Orbis’s side hair.
Once again, Orbis’s eyes widened in surprise, then belatedly he whined, “Ouch.”
“I rejected Bain’s confession. So he withdrew cleanly.”
“I see.”
“Yes. He was quite different from someone who persistently comes looking even after being rejected. I guess that’s what they call a knight.”
“The knight you personally appointed is right in front of you.”
“Oh my.”
Litania ended up laughing at Orbis’s expression, his eyes shining as if asking for praise.
She raised her hand as if to pat his head, then hesitated for a moment.
Her slender fingers traced down his hair to rest on his shoulder, then fumbled their way to the back of his neck. As Orbis lowered his body, Litania embraced him tightly.
“Thank you for saving me, Orbis.”
“As your knight, I only did what I had to do.”
“Haha.”
“A humble response, isn’t it?”
“If you hadn’t said just that last part.”
Litania patted Orbis’s back and let out a deep sigh. She could feel the subtle rocking of the ship beneath the soft bed.
“I’ll give you a reward for saving me. What would you like?”
“Anything you give me.”
“I’m narrow-minded, so I might give you a trivial reward, you know?”
“I know that much, having been inside.”
“……Oh my goodness.”
As soon as she understood his meaning, Litania’s face flushed red.
She quickly pushed him away, turned her head, and buried her face in the pillow she was clutching tightly.
“Get out. I’m going to sleep.”
“But you haven’t given me a reward yet.”
“I’ve lost the intention to give one.”
“You’re still narrow-minded.”
“You said you know well since you’ve been inside.”
“If I go in again, I’ll know even better.”
“Beast.”
“You can’t refute because it’s true.”
Orbis lay down next to Litania and stroked the back of her head. As he combed through her soft brown hair with his hand, he could feel her breathing evenly.
“Can I stay like this until you fall asleep?”
“……No.”
Litania turned her head slightly to face Orbis.
Her face was red, perhaps from having been buried in the pillow and finding it hard to breathe.
“Stay with me even after I fall asleep.”
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.]
