‘…It was a lie?’
Afraid of being rejected, it was an excuse.
Then what was the real thing he wanted to tell me at that time?
If not for Blanche, was it entirely because of me?
I had countless questions I wanted to ask about what kind of feelings Jade had for me now.
“Larien. If it weren’t for you, I would have been completely hopeless. Maybe Rowe would have fallen long ago.”
But contrary to his words, I hadn’t actually done much for Jade.
In fact, it was he who led Rowe from a young age while facing opposition from collateral branches, and Jade achieved his current wealth and fame through his own abilities.
I wanted to reply that it was an excessive evaluation, but I couldn’t refute his sincere gaze.
“Since my parents died practically because of me, I thought I didn’t deserve to be happy. I always wanted to hand everything over to Ayla when she grew up and let go of my life.”
Could I even imagine the weight he had carried on his shoulders all his life?
The guilt of killing his parents, the burden of leading the family, the responsibility of protecting his young sister.
As a childhood friend watching him, I felt a great deal of pity for Jade.
“Actually, when I thought you were dead, I wanted to give up everything. I really became apathetic… Couldn’t feel any meaning in living. I was just waiting for Ayla to come of age.”
I knew what this meant.
As he said before, he had planned to let go of his life when Ayla came of age.
‘The day I encountered Jade at the Grand Temple was just days before Ayla’s coming of age.’
I was startled for a moment. If I hadn’t met Jade then, I wouldn’t have seen him alive and breathing.
“But because you’re alive, I want to live too.”
“…”
“That’s what you are to me.”
Was there any need to hear him say he loved me?
‘It’s the first time Jade has shown such inner thoughts. He’s really changed a lot.’
This statement itself was an expression of loving me dearly. Showing his vulnerable side, relying on me, revealing his honest emotions.
‘He wants to live because I’m here…’
I thought this was something Jade would never say.
“But I’m not fully prepared yet…”
“Prepared? For what?”
“It’s not something to say on a day like today, I’ll finish telling you next time. Wait for me.”
Jade glanced once towards where the guillotine was before looking back at me.
His reaction was very ambiguous.
“Let’s go, Larien.”
“…Okay.”
I had a feeling he might propose again, but he didn’t continue speaking in the end.
‘Aside from the preparation, saying it’s not something to say on a day like today…’
Is it because it’s the day Grand Duke Usith and Sharlin Winst were executed?
I understood to some extent. At the same time, I was excited with anticipation.
After today passes, we’ll gradually discuss our future together.
‘I’ll wait, Jade.’
This time, I had no intention of refusing.
Even without saying it out loud, I knew from his actions all this time.
That Jade loves me.
[This is the timeline separator]Several months had passed since then. As winter had already approached, I was sitting in a rocking chair in front of the fireplace.
It felt warm as I warmed my cold hands by the fire.
‘Since light colors suit Blanche better than dark ones, I should use pink thread for this part.’
I was in the middle of knitting a scarf for Blanche to wear.
“Shall we call the animal choir−”
Blanche was lying on her stomach on the carpet, hugging a rabbit doll and humming a tune.
“In the mountains live frogs, ribbit ribbit. In the sea live rabbits, hop hop.”
It was cute how she puffed up her cheeks imitating a frog, and put her hands on her head and shook them like a rabbit.
As I listened, I noticed the lyrics were switched around and burst out laughing.
“…Blanche. Don’t you think the lyrics are mixed up?”
Frogs don’t exactly live in the sea, but at least rabbits do live in the mountains.
“Don’t rabbits live in the mountains?”
“No! Rabbits can swim in the sea too.”
“R-Really?”
Blanche jumped up and exclaimed firmly.
“Mom, that’s prejudice. We shouldn’t take anything for granted.”
“Mmm, I see.”
Blanche lay back down and started singing loudly again.
‘We shouldn’t take anything for granted…?’
Somehow, what Blanche had said kept lingering in my mind, and I couldn’t concentrate on knitting at all.
After that day, I thought Jade would naturally propose to me if I just waited a little.
He did ask me to wait.
However, days passed, weeks went by, and a new season arrived, but Jade didn’t propose to me.
‘Was I mistaken?’
As if he hadn’t been planning to propose, there was no mention of it whatsoever.
‘I hope you won’t do this anymore in the future.’
‘…Does that mean you’re refusing?’
‘Yes. We don’t necessarily have to get married. Just keep being kind to Blanche like you are now.’
Realizing this, I felt embarrassed anew, and regretted the words I had used to refuse him in the past.
‘I shouldn’t have gone that far. Why did I do that?’
As I let out a deep sigh, Blanche blinked her eyes.
“Mom. What’s wrong?”
I had forgotten Blanche was here with me. I waved the scarf in my hand and lowered the corners of my mouth.
“It’s a scarf I want to give as a gift to our baby, but I’m sad it’s not turning out pretty.”
Blanche crawled onto my lap and wrapped the scarf around her neck.
“No, it’s super pretty. And warm. Shu Shu will only wear this. I really like the color too. Shu Shu likes pink the best!”
As if trying to comfort me, Blanche rubbed her cheek against the scarf.
That lovely smile completely chased away my gloomy mood.
“My baby. How did such an angel come to Mom?”
“Heek, it tickles!”
I really loved the sound of laughter that escaped whenever I tickled Blanche.
‘Maybe Jade never intended to propose to me in the first place. Let’s not have unnecessary expectations and be satisfied with how things are now.’
I knew better than anyone that the bigger the expectation, the bigger the disappointment.
“Mom! Let’s hurry and go to Dad’s house. Today’s the day we eat dinner at Dad’s house, right?”
“…Ah, that’s right. It was.”
These days, Jade and I would take turns visiting each other and having dinner together.
‘Until yesterday, seeing Jade felt normal, but…’
As Blanche said, today was the day to go to the Rowe mansion, but suddenly I felt uncomfortable.
“Yesterday I told Dad that Shu Shu wanted to eat roast turkey, and he said okay.”
“Then tonight’s dinner menu will be roast turkey? Sounds delicious.”
“Right. I also said I’d like macarons for dessert.”
Strangely, I wanted to avoid meeting him a little, but I had to go for Blanche’s sake at least.
[This is the timeline separator]“Blanche?”
When we arrived at the Rowe mansion, Ayla called out to Blanche as she came down the stairs.
“Auntie!”
Ayla was holding a box in her hand.
“Ayla, what brings you here?”
“I had something to pick up from my room. It’s so nice to see you after so long. Blanche, have you been well?”
“Shu Shu is so happy to see Auntie too.”
We had seen Ayla last week. When we went to the dressmaker’s to fit Blanche’s dress, we met Ayla.
‘She’s acting like we’re meeting for the first time in years.’
Anyway, since we’re already here, it would be nice if Ayla joined us for dinner too.
“Ayla. If you’re not busy, have dinner with us.”
“That’s right! Today is roast turkey!”
“Should I? Brother is in a meeting with the elders right now. Let’s go to the dining room and wait together.”
Ayla adjusted the box in her hands and headed to the dining room.
“What’s in the box?”
“Things I used when I was young? I forgot to take them with me. I’ll show you if you’re curious.”
The box Ayla opened contained things she had used when she was really young, from diaries to folded paper flowers and fairy tale books.
Among them, I spotted the pearl hairpin I had given her as a gift long ago.
“Oh? This is something I gave you a very long time ago. You’ve kept it all this time?”
At some point she stopped wearing it, so I thought she had lost it.
“Of course. I kept it here because I was afraid it would get scratched. Oh, Blanche. There’s something here for you.”
Ayla rummaged through the box and pulled out an anklet with sparkling rubies.
“What’s this anklet?”
“This is an anklet that has been passed down to daughters in the Rowe family for generations. It doesn’t fit me anymore, and now it’s time for Blanche to have it.”
Ayla told Blanche to try shifting into her beast form.
“This anklet can only be put on when in beast form. It won’t even clasp for someone who’s not of Rowe blood.”
When Blanche transformed into a silver wolf, Ayla put the anklet on her paw.
“It’s amazing how Blanche’s eye color changes like brother’s when she shifts.”
Meanwhile, Blanche, who had been sniffing around, suddenly ran out of the dining room.
“I think she smelled the roast turkey from the kitchen. I’ll go get her.”
As I left the dining room and headed to the kitchen, I spotted Blanche in the hallway.
‘Oh, what should I do?’
But at that moment, as the meeting room door opened and I heard the footsteps of the elders coming out, I hid behind.
“Little one, who are you? I haven’t seen you before.”
“It’s like seeing the Marquis when he was young.”
The elders surrounded Blanche with curiosity.
“Whimper…”
“What’s going on, everyone?”
Perhaps hearing Blanche’s frightened voice, Jade came out of the meeting room.
As soon as she saw Jade, Blanche ran into his arms.
“Marquis. Who is that child…?”
“My daughter.”
The elders all asked with puzzlement, and Jade said while stroking Blanche:
My daughter, he said.
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.]
