“Ugh. I’m really full.”
“Just eat this.”
Another chicken leg from Junhwi’s dish was placed into the bowl in front. Yeonwoo frowned.
“If you eat too much, it might not be good for digestion and your health.”
“This amount is enough to digest.”
Lunchtime. When Junhwi suggested having lunch together, Yeonwoo didn’t expect it to be a restaurant so close to the company. However, now that Junhwi had nothing to hide, he was confident.
“Should I order just the meat? Will you eat that?”
“No! No, thank you. I’m embarrassed enough as it is.”
“What.”
Since it was a restaurant near the company, it was natural for colleagues to be around.
Even the tables nearby and the ones behind them whispered, and Yeonwoo could feel the warm, curious gazes, but Junhwi was nonchalant, almost enjoying it.
“Now that everything is out in the open, don’t hide anything. Do whatever you want.”
“Yes…”
“Eat a lot.”
For the word “malbok,” Junhwi, in the spirit of good fortune, chose a menu that included Samgyetang, a healthful summer chicken soup with various medicinal herbs and nuts.
While he seemed to comply with Yeonwoo’s wishes, Junhwi’s choices were subtly assertive, following his own whims even though he seemed to go along with Yeonwoo’s preferences.
“Lawyer, can you eat this? If I remove one leg from the two-legged chicken, what will happen?”
“I have plenty of energy even without eating. You’re asking me this while knowing it. Confirm it at night?”
“Huh.”
Having given up on any further struggle, Yeonwoo diligently disassembled the newly placed chicken leg.
“But what about what you said last time?”
“Hmm? What are you talking about?”
“Someone mentioned that Kim Yeonwoo was talking nonsense like a fox to the lawyers. That thing.”
Clearly reluctant to bring it up, Junhwi cut off the conversation with a sharp expression.
Ah, this man had a very good memory and was persistently investigative. Yeonwoo, who was just spooning his food, quickly shook his head.
“It’s all right now. Don’t worry about it.”
“How can I not worry.”
“Really! Since we’re doing this in front of people, it feels naturally sorted out.”
Yeonwoo responded cheerfully and put a tender chicken leg into his mouth. He didn’t want to let Junhwi know about Im Nayoon’s involvement.
The more he chewed, the more formidable she seemed. She endured the impact on her own image and even fabricated false rumors, probably accepting the consequences.
For such a person, involving Junhwi in the rush seemed futile. The rumor had already spread, and it seemed like a waste of his energy.
“I just want to focus on our relationship.”
Thinking so, it became even easier to let it go.
The relationship between them had become public knowledge to everyone in Lo and Yul. To avoid any lingering suspicions, he had to be careful with his words and actions.
What Yeonwoo needs to see is this man, and us.
Let’s not pay attention to anything else. Until we build immunity to the stones people throw. Until it calms down.
“It’s uncomfortable. There’s definitely something more.”
Avoiding his uneasy gaze, Yeonwoo put a mouthful of food into his mouth and chewed slowly. Still, the gaze remained uncomfortable.
“If you keep looking like that, I might really choke.”
Yeonwoo protruded his lips and gave a teasing smile. Sometimes, it was a smile he used as a weapon against him.
“What’s bothering you? Kim Yeonwoo laughs like that when things are unfavorable.”
“Ugh, what am I?”
“…Nothing. You’re pretty.”
Filling the half-empty cup with water, Junhwi carefully stopped asking. He just leaned on his left hand, watching Yeonwoo’s meal attentively.
Around the time of leaving work, Gwanghwamun’s cafe was surprisingly quiet, as if the many people from the day had disappeared somewhere.
Junhwi sat by the window, looking at his phone, reading the news. He pressed his strained eyes for a moment. If you don’t give your eyes a break for even a moment, they’ll age quickly, as if he could hear Yeonwoo’s nagging.
Smiling wryly, he looked up from the phone to the window, and there he saw Kim Seungho energetically waving his tail, no, his hand.
How noisy.
Junhwi immediately tightened the relaxed expression again. Sending an unpleasant gaze, he was clenching his fist, so Kim Seungho came in and sat across from him.
“Attorney Kwon! I’m sorry I’m late!”
“You’re not late.”
“I got a call and came as soon as possible! You said let’s meet outside, so I ran here with high expectations! What important business is it this time?”
“…Catch your breath before talking.”
“Oh, yes.”
It seemed like he needed something to be said to calm the atmosphere. Junhwi got up from his seat to order coffee. Kim Seungho stuck close beside him.
“It’s an honor, Attorney. You even treat me to coffee.”
With Kim Seungho addressing him separately, his tension was high. They had come to the cafe to talk about something that was embarrassing to discuss in the office. It didn’t seem like the right choice.
“Attorney Kim Seungho. Are you busy these days?”
“No! You can tell me anything comfortably.”
When male lead is the homewrecker
“I know she doesn’t love him.”
I’ve read the novel below twice already. Girls, I’m highly recommending it to you!
The female lead? Not a good person.
The second male lead? Not a good person.
The male lead? Willingly plays the third party, breaking up the female and second male lead’s relationship despite all the warnings from his friends—so yeah, he’s definitely not a good person either.
Basically, nobody in this novel is simple-minded or without scheming.
The female lead starts off as the male lead’s secretary, but don’t worry—later on, she takes over the company while the male lead steps back to support her. He won’t steal her spotlight, overshadow her, or dull her shine.
I love novels where men are out here snatching wigs, tearing each other down, and going to war just to win the female lead’s affection. And this is exactly that kind of novel. Most of Hai Dai Ran’s works have this dynamic. You’ll see the male characters’ emotions being pushed to the absolute extreme.
There’s even a scene where the second male lead exposes the male lead online for being a homewrecker. The brotherhood immediately gangs up on him, dragging him through the mud. I find it compelling —it completely flips reality on its head, where usually, women are the ones fighting over a man and getting torn apart by the sisterhood.
For me, female leads in the novels I read should only struggle in their careers, not in love. But if the brainless romantics in the story are all men? I have zero complaints.
I’ve pretty much read all of Hai Dai Ran’s novels and even translated all of them—her works are just my thing. I’ll slowly upload everything here. One day, when my website is official, I hope I can invite her to join as one of the star authors.
Here’s the story synopsis:
One-line summary: She is his lifelong obsession, to the point where he was willing to be a third wheel, scorned by society, just to wedge his way into her relationship with her fiancé.
Cold-hearted and indifferent female lead + Scheming and subservient CEO male lead
Intro 1:
“I know she doesn’t love him.”
With blood trickling from his clenched fist, Rong Xiu gazed at the woman before him, his eyes clouded with anguish. Hidden in the wardrobe, he had witnessed Fan Xia – the woman he desperately loved – in an intimate embrace with her fiancé. Yet his heart still yearned for her, defying all reason.
Fan Xia, the elegant and composed assistant, carried something mysterious in her eyes whenever she looked at her fiancé, Wen Lan Sheng. Strange occurrences began to surface – secret meetings with the young Gu Jin Yi, an unexplained withdrawal of 5,000 yuan… Then suddenly, her fiancé’s sister, Wen Jing, violently attacked her.
In this matriarchal society, Rong Xiu had risen to become the chairman of a powerful healthcare conglomerate, breaking through gender prejudices. But for the first time, he willingly stepped into the shadows as the other man, disregarding his friends’ warnings to become her secret lover.
Because he had discovered the truth – Fan Xia wasn’t the pure angel everyone believed her to be. And perhaps, he was the only one capable of helping her execute her mysterious plan…
Intro 2:
Rong Xiu’s biggest regret in life was missing out on Fan Xia.
He secretly loved Fan Xia for 7 years.
Watched her go public with her boyfriend.
Watched her kiss her boyfriend at their wedding.
Until that man blissfully nestled in Fan Xia’s arms, obtaining everything he could only dream of.
The crazy jealousy stripped away his hidden secret love, layer by layer, burning like wildfire.
Fan Xia, how can I have you!
【Reading and Trigger Warning Guide】
1. Female dominant, male submissive, male pregnancy
2. Male lead schemes his way to the top, male competition
_____
Please help me, I want to bring you the best possible things.
If you find any chapter or novel with poor translation and editing quality, let me know by commenting directly under that novel or chapter. I will retranslate it as soon as possible.
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