Summer Must Die (16 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 8
In truth, Summer had no particular interest in Ian Lancaster.
There were already too many wounded people in reality—she didn’t want to see more in fiction.
Summer’s lips slowly parted as she briefly thought of Ian.
“I was only scared I might die—but now that time has passed, I think I understand how it feels when everyone applauds me.”
That was all she said.
Julian waited, surprised, for Summer to continue, but Summer merely laughed brightly and changed the subject, saying the cake was delicious.
[This is the timeline separator]“Then please go home safely.”
“I will. Thank you for understanding my sudden visit, Julian.”
“You’re always welcome to visit. The doors of House Dudley are always open.”
Summer hesitated, about to invite Julian to visit House Lindsey as well.
If Julian saw that dreadful scene, would she understand—or simply brush it off as if nothing happened?
“Thank you. I was happy today.”
Summer smiled and gave a slight bow of her head in greeting before leaving House Dudley.
After walking a few steps, she looked back—House Dudley’s gate had already closed behind her.
Summer strolled leisurely, enjoying the mildly cool air. True to the Korean author’s mindset, everything in the imperial capital was conveniently clustered together.
If this were truly a world where real people lived, a naive noble lady dripping with jewels would never dare wander the streets—she’d be snatched by ruffians and not a bone left of her.
Artistic license really was a convenient excuse.
The central avenue, which she reached quickly, was still bustling with energy.
While browsing the market, Summer suddenly approached a stall selling mirrors. Blonde hair shimmered brightly, her eyes were blue, and her features were strikingly vivid.
Suddenly sensing something odd, Summer frowned slightly.
“How strange. I’m just an extra.”
Had the author paid special attention when creating House Lindsey? But if so, why give it so few lines and trap it in a bland, repetitive daily routine?
Most of all, she’d never seen that name while reading the original novel.
“Well, I did skim through the second half…”
Perhaps House Lindsey appeared only later in the story.
Lost in these spiraling questions, Summer headed toward the area where hired carriages gathered.
“Miss, where shall I take you?”
“To the front of Earl Lindsey’s residence… No, just go.”
The driver glanced at Summer with a puzzled look at her awkward phrasing, then pulled the reins with the weary face of a jaded office worker.
“Yes, we’re off.”
The carriage rolled along roads that, though barely more than dirt paths, were remarkably smooth, heading toward House Lindsey.
As soon as the carriage halted in front of Earl Lindsey’s residence and Summer stepped down, a black blur suddenly lunged at her.
“Ah!”
Summer leapt back in shock.
“Blackie! Where’ve you been all this time?”
The black blur was none other than Fay.
“Fay! You scared me!”
“I thought you’d gone off to die—that’s who got scared! Where on earth did you go?”
“To Earl Dudley’s residence.”
“Why there?”
“I’ll explain once we’re inside.”
Summer gently scooped up Fay, still in cat form, and carried her into the mansion.
Upon reaching her room, Summer placed Fay onto the soft bed and sat beside her.
“So why did you go?”
“Because of Summer’s soul.”
“And what did you gain?”
“Certainty.”
Summer hummed a cheerful tune, looking slightly unhinged. Fay felt a chill run down her spine.
“What does Lady Dudley have to do with Summer’s soul?”
“This world begins with the imperial banquet. Summer Lindsey exists merely as a noble to showcase how lavish and extravagant that banquet is. Since the story hasn’t officially started yet, Summer’s soul hasn’t been created—it isn’t needed.”
“…”
Summer began explaining carefully.
“Julian Dudley is the protagonist of this world. The more Julian Dudley acknowledges Summer, the more necessary Summer becomes in this world. And then, Summer’s soul will surely come into existence. Surely.”
“Wait. Hold on.”
Fay quickly interrupted Summer and shifted back into human form.
“What’s wrong?”
“The protagonist of the world? The world has existed for ages—what’s this nonsense about it ‘beginning’?”
Fay scowled deeply and fired the question sharply.
In truth, Fay had just returned from the Witch’s Forest, where she’d gone to learn more about Summer’s soul.
After enduring great hardship there, she’d barely uncovered some information—only to hear it casually spilling from Blackie’s mouth. She was beyond flabbergasted—she was utterly dumbfounded.
Ah. Only then did Summer realize she’d just revealed everything to Fay.
Fay was a person of this world. Summer had mistakenly assumed that since Fay knew about possession, she must already know this as well.
But clearly, Fay had no inkling this world was nothing more than a book.
“Miss Fay, what I just said…”
“Summer. Are you saying this world revolves entirely around a person named Julian Dudley?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because she’s the protagonist.”
“How could you possibly know that?”
“…”
Summer fell silent.
She wasn’t sure whether to reveal that this world was merely a story. Sensing her hesitation, Fay crossed her arms and sighed deeply.
“Fine. You can tell me that part later. Either way—you can switch bodies on the day of the imperial banquet, right?”
“Yes.”
“Then I’ll prepare accordingly too. When is that day?”
“In one week.”
Fay nodded, then transformed once more into a black cat. She leapt onto the windowsill and tapped the closed window with her paws.
Through magic, the window slid open smoothly.
“Oh, Blackie. Catch this.”
Fay gagged as if about to vomit, then spat out a single gemstone.
Summer pulled out a handkerchief from her pocket and carefully picked up the gem, examining it closely.
“What is this?”
“It’s a mineral infused with my power. Keep it on your person.”
“Are you leaving again?”
“I’ll come back. Don’t worry.”
With just those brief words, Fay vanished once more into the darkness.
After Fay had completely disappeared, Summer pulled the call cord. Predictably, Mary entered.
“Mary, could you make a necklace with this?”
“Shall I find a renowned artisan?”
“Yes, please. As for the fee—wait a moment.”
Summer took a gold coin from her safe and handed it over.
Mary shook her head, refusing more money despite Summer’s attempt to offer extra, then left with the gem and coin.
Three days later, Mary returned with the finished necklace.
As soon as it was ready, Summer began wearing the gem Fay had given her with great care—she never took it off, not even while sleeping.
Yet even after a week passed, Fay hadn’t shown even a single black tail hair.
At least Summer had been too busy to dwell on it. The social season turned out to be far more grueling than she’d imagined.
It felt almost like the schedule of a celebrity.
Without exaggeration, she attended parties every day from morning until late night alongside Julian—despite having declined several invitations already.
Since so many noble families held their parties within the same three-week window, attending three or four events in a single day was unavoidable.
It was a week during which she keenly felt just what the ‘social season’ in romance fantasy novels truly meant.
What had initially seemed dazzling and glamorous now made her sick at the sight of another party.
Thankfully, clutching the necklace made from Fay’s enchanted mineral brought a faint, comforting warmth that made it bearable.
“Julian, after this social season, I’m going to start having nightmares.”
Summer had snuck away from the party and now sat on a bench, downing her champagne in one gulp.
“Same here. I feel my energy draining away.”
“Should we bail out while we’re ahead?”
The parties were splendid and uniformly beautiful. The food was delicious, and every kind of wine was available.
But even the dishes she’d initially enjoyed had grown tiresome after a week.
Because the setting was Western-style, she’d eaten nothing but Western cuisine and desserts until she was stuffed—now all she craved was tteokbokki, ramen, or a simple bowl of white rice. Just once would fulfill her deepest wish.
Yet she kept attending—not only because she was curious about the novel’s key characters, but also to ease Julian’s loneliness when attending alone.
And perhaps, just perhaps, there was a sliver of futile hope that she might slightly alter Julian’s difficult future.
“You seem to understand me so well, Summer. You always appear when I’m struggling and whisk me away like this.”
“I suppose I came here for Julian’s sake.”
Summer dramatically bowed and extended her hand toward Julian.
Julian burst into laughter and lightly placed her own hand atop Summer’s.
For Summer, Julian was salvation—someone who made her forget, even briefly, this absurd situation. And for Julian, isolated and alone, Summer’s sudden appearance and unwavering declaration of “You’re right” was salvation itself.
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.]
Hahaha what a stubborn male lead, leave her alone.
They’re always like this, thay think it is always about the male lead.
Haha so they’re don’t know who Romeo and Juliet, what a boring world.