Having concluded his audience with the Emperor, Kalif quickened his pace. As always, a busy schedule awaited him today.
Busy from morning, and having safely concluded his meeting with the Emperor, Kalif still had a meeting left with Duke Retan. The Duke was rumored to be the secret owner of the most reliable source of information both inside and outside the empire. If he could bring him to his side, Retan would become Evelia’s eyes and ears in the future.
Kalif organized the topics he had to discuss with the Duke in his mind. Unlike Baron Montrol, who was a man of the Empress, the Duke was quick-witted. Considering that he had an understanding of all the hidden information in every corner of the empire and even diplomatic conditions, it was clear he would not be easily deceived.
Kalif regulated his breath, striving to maintain an appropriate level of tension. Just then, a fragrant floral scent brushed past the tip of his nose.
“…….”
Stopping in his tracks, he slowly turned his head towards the direction from which the wind had blown. Right under the brightly shining sun, cherry blossom branches were swaying in the wind.
A seemingly trivial scene, yet old memories suddenly surfaced. It was from the times when he and Evelia used to play together long ago.
A much shorter Evelia from those days would often caress his cheek while making a sad face. With her downcast eyes and pouty lips looking so adorable, Kalif would often forget to respond and just lose himself in her gaze.
It was the same that day. Evelia, wearing a light pink dress, stood under her favorite cherry blossom tree, waiting for him.
He couldn’t help but be mesmerized. It was hard to distinguish between the flowers and the person. Had Evelia not grabbed his arm and shaken him, he probably would have continued to be lost in thought.
“Kal, why do you never say you’re hurt, even when you have bruises on your face every day?”
“I’m not that hurt.”
“Why? Here is red, and here is blue. All these colors look painful.”
“…It hurt when I got hit, but it’s not that painful now. I’m okay.”
Young Kalif answered impassively, without even a grimace. He truly wasn’t in pain. There had been a time when a misplaced blow had rendered him immobile for several days. Compared to that time, being able to walk around with these minor bruises was nothing.
But was that thought the problem? Suddenly, Evelia began to sob.
Kalif froze like a stone, unable to move. It was the first time he had seen Evelia cry. Always smiling like a flower, Evelia had never shown such vulnerability, and he felt as if it was entirely his fault.
[Actually, I think it hurts. A bit, no, more than a bit. Yes. I, hurt. I think I’m in pain.]Words swirled in Kalif’s mind and tumbled out haphazardly. Having seen her start crying after he’d said she wasn’t in pain, he thought that saying she was in pain would promptly stop her tears. However, Evelia’s sobs showed no signs of stopping.
[Uh-huh, does it hurt a lot?]Tears like crystal beads soaked her cheeks even faster. His heart tightened. What should he do now? When he said it didn’t hurt, and even when he changed his words to say it did, he wanted the same thing: for her not to cry.
What to do now? Would saying it doesn’t hurt again stop Evelia’s tears?
[Actually, it doesn’t hurt at all.] [Don’t lie!] [Really, it doesn’t hurt at all.] [How can you say you’re not hurting when your face is all red and blotchy, you idiot! Waaaah.]Evelia wailed louder than before, incomparably so.
Kalif instinctively took a step back. His heart raced with unease. He had never before seen anyone cry. With his life limited to his home and its surroundings, he had few friends before meeting Evelia. Thus, he had no clue what to say or do in a situation like this.
[…Sorry, Eve. It’s my fault.]Mechanically, Kalif closed the distance he’d just created and offered an apology. He still didn’t know the exact reason why Evelia was crying, but that didn’t matter.
What mattered was that Evelia started crying at his words, so it was definitely his fault. Kalif wished desperately for Evelia to stop crying and accept his apology. He was afraid that Evelia, crying so bitterly, would never want to see him again.
[You idiot, why are you apologizing to me? What have you done wrong?] [Whatever it is, it’s all my fault. So please, stop crying, Eve.]Kalif mechanically repeated his admission of guilt multiple times. If it would only stop Evelia’s tears, he could say he was sorry a hundred more times.
But it seemed this was also wrong. Evelia sighed deeply and furrowed her brow.
Evelia spoke firmly towards him, who was muttering mechanically. Only then did Kal seem to snap back to his senses.
Then why? If I did nothing wrong, why are you…
[…then why are you crying like this?] [That’s because…!]Evelia furrowed her brow again. This time, it looked like she was quite angry.
What made her so sorrowful and what made her so angry?
After Being Cheated On, She Picked Up a Treasure (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: The husband I married on a whim had been secretly in love with me for a long time.
On the day when Jun Shao finally obtained the imperial decree for her marriage, Lan Qu, the person she had admired for six years, defied the decree and ran away.
Her gentleness and devotion, her promise of a lifetime together, were all disregarded by him. Instead, he dreamed of entering the palace to serve the Emperor’s sister as a sixth-rank attendant.
News of this incident spread throughout the capital, and the alleys in front of and behind the Lan mansion were crowded with people who came to watch the commotion.
Jun Shao should have been embarrassed and angry.
But someone stepped in to protect her dignity.
The figure was in a miserable state, yet still possessed an undeniable elegance and handsomeness.
The young lord struggled to climb the wall of the Lan mansion and shouted to her, “If he won’t marry you, I will!”
So, Jun Shao took advantage of the situation and married the person.
She thought the young lord did it to save the Lan family from the crime of defying the imperial decree, but never imagined that from beginning to end, what he coveted was her.
*
After the wedding, Jun Shao felt like she was living in a dream.
Her Wife-master was as beautiful as a fairy in a painting, skilled in the six arts, well-versed in poetry and literature, capable of being gentle and attentive, and also grand and dignified. Most importantly, she was the only one in his heart and eyes.
Jun Shao didn’t know how Lan Shiwu, as a illegitimate son without a father and blessed with beauty, had managed to preserve his purity, recklessly escape, and use his last ounce of strength to ruin his own reputation, all because of his love for her, just to stand before her.
She could only see him gazing at her with eyes full of love, and when she bestowed a name upon him, his eyes shone like stars.
“You have come to me like a weary bird perching on a branch. I shall call you A Qi.”
