Taming the Wicked Professor (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 1
The loud music pounded, thump-thump-thump, against her heart.
She was usually the calm type who preferred quiet places, but today she didn’t refuse Seung Hee’s suggestion to go to a club.
After spending every day surrounded by white hospital walls, she must’ve wanted to feel a sense of freedom, if only for a day.
Tomorrow would mark the start of her hellish resident life.
That meant she could consider herself without freedom for the next four years.
So she figured that if she enjoyed one last day of total freedom outside the hospital, she’d have the strength to endure the next four years.
“You’ve already rejected three guys in the past hour. You’re setting a record today.”
Seung Hee shook her head, watching the man walk away after she’d declined his invitation to join tables.
Na Young drank her drink, undeterred.
She just wanted to enjoy her drinks in a good mood today.
She had zero interest in meeting men.
After all, once her residency started tomorrow, she wouldn’t even have time to sleep, let alone date—so what was the point of starting something new here?
She wasn’t the sociable type who could comfortably chat with strangers anyway.
“We’re already twenty-seven. By the time residency ends, we’ll be over thirty. Maybe today’s your last real chance to meet a decent guy in your twenties—seriously, you’re not even a little interested?”
“So you’re absolutely sure a club is the best place to meet a decent guy?”
“In my eyes, all the handsome guys, fun guys, and rich guys seem to gather here. If I were as pretty as you, I’d walk right up to the guy I liked and ask him to dance.”
Knowing Seung Hee’s only hobby was reading romance novels, Na Young assumed she must’ve come to the club tonight dreaming of some romantic encounter—so she just smiled and listened.
Seung Hee, while scanning the crowd, suddenly spotted someone and quickly tapped Na Young on the shoulder.
“Oh my gosh, oh my gosh—what a surprise!”
Her tap stung a little, so Na Young winced slightly and looked at Seung Hee with one eye narrowed.
“What is it?”
“I know that guy. It’s film director Cha Hyun! Seriously, the women next to him are stunning too. Could they be actresses?”
Na Young had heard Cha Hyun’s name before through the media.
He was a young director rising rapidly in fame, hailed as a genius after just two films.
Na Young looked in the direction Seung Hee was pointing.
Upstairs, in a room enclosed by glass walls, sat a group of people, each impeccably stylish and fashionable.
Yet the person who caught her eye wasn’t director Cha Hyun—but the man beside him.
From her seat, she could only see his back, but even that view pulled up a memory she’d long forgotten.
The back of a male student, drenched in sweat after taking off his tiger-print shirt.
The frustration she’d felt then—the inability to call out to him, her voice stuck in her throat.
That was already seventeen years ago.
It was the first time she’d recalled that memory just by seeing someone’s back, so Na Young couldn’t tear her eyes away, staring blankly.
Thump-thump-thump.
Her heart, already racing to the beat of the music, now vibrated again—from a different kind of tremor.
The moment the man she’d been staring at turned his head, she shot up from her seat and quickly said to Seung Hee,
“I’m going to the restroom.”
“Want me to go with you?”
“No.”
Na Young hurriedly left, while Seung Hee became absorbed in posting on social media about spotting film director Cha Hyun.
Tae Hyuk turned his head and looked down below.
It was his first time back in Korea in three years.
Still jet-lagged, nights felt like days and days like nights.
If his twenty-year friend Cha Hyun hadn’t dragged him out to celebrate his return, he’d be asleep at home.
His head was already pounding—and now Cha Hyun had brought him to this noisy club.
While grumbling inwardly, his gaze fell upon a woman walking determinedly through the crowd.
She wore a plain white blouse and jeans—yet stood out far more than the women glittering under the club’s flashy lights.
Her long, slender neck, exposed beneath her neatly tied-up hair, looked as elegant as a ballerina’s, and her delicate yet shapely figure maintained perfect poise even amid the blaring music.
Her face…
Given how every man around her couldn’t take his eyes off her as she passed, she was probably quite pretty.
Just in case she turned and he might glimpse her face, Tae Hyuk kept staring.
He didn’t have high expectations, yet he found himself unable to look away.
“What are you looking at?”
Cha Hyun jabbed his arm, annoyed that his attention was elsewhere.
He’d specially arranged this gathering to celebrate Tae Hyuk’s return to Korea after so long.
This was currently the hottest club in town, and the women he’d invited were all celebrities blessed with both beauty and fame.
He’d gone out of his way to create the perfect atmosphere for Tae Hyuk to enjoy himself—yet the guest of honor himself wore a bored expression, which thoroughly dissatisfied Cha Hyun.
“Is the director’s friend naturally this quiet?”
Since Tae Hyuk wasn’t talking, the women asked Cha Hyun about him.
That itself was already a failure, and Cha Hyun shot Tae Hyuk an irritated look.
Was it really so hard to just have fun at a club?
“I’m going to the restroom.”
As Tae Hyuk stood up to leave entirely, Cha Hyun reminded him,
“Be back within ten minutes.”
Cha Hyun watched Tae Hyuk’s retreating back with uneasy eyes.
He wouldn’t just bail, would he?
If he hadn’t invited others, Cha Hyun would’ve chased after him all the way to the restroom.
Of all times, her mother called while she was at the club—Na Young was utterly flustered.
At home, she maintained the image of a model eldest daughter, so her parents never imagined she’d go to clubs.
If her father ever found out, it’d be a disaster.
Na Young boldly pressed the end call button. Not answering felt like the most filial thing she could do right now.
Letting out a short sigh, she lifted her head—and froze upon spotting a man walking toward her.
“We meet again.”
It was the same guy whose invitation to share a table she’d rejected earlier.
It didn’t feel like a coincidence; it seemed he’d deliberately followed her—and it annoyed her.
“You kept rejecting table-sharing offers and wouldn’t dance. Then what’s the point of coming to a club?”
Na Young tried to brush past him without answering, but he grabbed her arm.
“Let go of me.”
Her face instantly hardened as she voiced her refusal, but the man just smiled and tightened his grip.
“If you keep this up, I’ll get angry too. I’m just trying to talk—why so sensitive?”
She tried to wrench her arm away with force, but he clung like a leech, refusing to let go.
“Don’t look down on people just ‘cause you’re pretty. Girls like you always need a little force before they listen.”
His brutish attitude crossed the line, making Na Young’s stomach churn with nausea.
This was the moment she bitterly regretted following Seung Hee to the club of her own free will.
“Guys like you also need a little force before they listen.”
Another man’s voice cut in as he firmly seized the wrist of the man holding her.
Finally, the grip on her arm released.
Wincing in pain, the man snapped at Tae Hyuk,
“Let go!”
But when Tae Hyuk tightened his hold further, the man groaned and pleaded,
“Ah! Okay, okay, I’m sorry! Please let go!”
Na Young stared in shock at Tae Hyuk, who had appeared out of nowhere.
The deep blue suit he wore was unmistakably the same one she’d seen on the man beside director Cha Hyun earlier.
The man whose back had caught her attention turned out to be even more striking from the front.
His long, sharp eyes beneath smooth eyebrows exuded elegance, and the dark brown irises within them sparkled like gems.
His high nose bridge and sharp jawline formed a perfect harmony, radiating undeniable masculinity.
He was a rare, breathtakingly handsome man.
Yet, unlike when she’d seen his back, her heart didn’t flutter now.
His face was utterly unfamiliar to her.
As soon as Tae Hyuk released him, the man muttered a curse under his breath and fled.
Watching the man run off, Tae Hyuk turned to look at her—and Na Young met his gaze directly, without looking away.
“…”
“…”
Tae Hyuk gave a faint, brief smile.
As expected, the woman whose back he’d admired had a beautiful face.
Her pale skin gleamed like porcelain, and her large, dark eyes were refreshingly clear.
Her straight nose and round face perfectly embodied the refined beauty of a classic East Asian woman.
Though he was normally someone who found it hard to connect easily with anyone, her face stirred an oddly familiar feeling in him.
It felt like… familiarity.
When had he ever seen her?
“His friends might come looking for him.”
Remembering the man’s companions, Na Young warned Tae Hyuk.
“I’ve got friends here too.”
“But if a celebrity gets into a fight in a place like this…”
Na Young, knowing his companion was director Cha Hyun, stopped mid-sentence with an “Oops.”
She’d just revealed that she’d been secretly watching him.
Tae Hyuk’s eyes narrowed as he realized she already knew about his group.
Unlike him, Cha Hyun was sociable and had always been popular with women since childhood.
He’d never envied him for it—so why was he suddenly irritated now?
“I should go—I’m worried about my friend.”
Na Young hurriedly walked down the hallway to avoid him.
But sensing someone following, she glanced sideways—and saw him walking right behind her.
“You go ahead.”
He assumed she was returning to her friends.
“No, I’m following you.”
“What? Why?”
Flustered, Na Young’s eyes widened.
His calm gaze settled on her, as if amused by her overreaction to something so trivial.
“I got involved in someone else’s business, so I should take responsibility until the end.”
Did this guy just say he’d take responsibility for her?
His words, spoken less than five minutes after they’d met, left Na Young stunned.
Tae Hyuk glanced around, scanning for the man who’d harassed her earlier.
He meant to stay by her side—at least until they left the club—to ensure that man didn’t bother her again.
When she returned to her seat, Seung Hee was nowhere to be seen.
Na Young quickly looked around and spotted Seung Hee dancing on the main stage.
Seeing her happily dancing with strangers, Na Young decided to wait until Seung Hee finished and came back.
As she turned her head, she froze—spotting the man now sitting in Seung Hee’s seat.
He lounged casually on the sofa, as if it had always been his spot, and watched her intently.
Na Young glanced toward the room where he’d originally been seated—but his voice reached her first.
“Cha Hyun won’t be coming over.”
Confused by his words, Na Young looked back at him.
Tae Hyuk gave a small, teasing smile.
“You look disappointed.”
Without a word, Na Young filled his empty glass with beer.
“I’ll repay you for helping me earlier with this drink.”
“If that’s the case, beer isn’t enough.”
Na Young looked troubled at his reply.
“I haven’t gotten my salary yet, so I don’t have much money.”
“Don’t worry. I’ve got a rich friend.”
He then called over a waiter and ordered an expensive whiskey.
Glug-glug-glug…
Na Young swallowed hard as she watched the amber liquid fill the glass.
She’d come here to drink tonight, but never expected to be sipping something this luxurious.
Tae Hyuk pushed the glass toward her.
“Go ahead, try it.”
Na Young looked back and forth between the drink and his face.
When she hesitated, Tae Hyuk raised his own glass and took a sip first.
“Nothing’s been slipped into it.”
She didn’t know who he was—but she didn’t sense any threat from him.
Maybe it was because his back reminded her of that older brother from seventeen years ago.
She didn’t feel any resistance to his gaze, and his voice gave her a sense of calm.
It felt as if the sharp thorns she always kept raised in defense were slowly fading away.
Na Young lifted the glass with both hands.
Just before drinking, she looked into his eyes.
His gently crinkling eye smile tickled her heart.
Then, the strong liquor slid down her throat, warming her entire body.
Only then did she truly feel liberated.
She had exactly twelve hours left before her freedom ended.
Getting drunk wasn’t as unpleasant as she’d thought—in fact, it eased the tension in both her body and mind.
And the man before her no longer felt like a stranger.
It was absurd yet oddly pleasant that she’d shared more with him—whom she’d just met today—than with colleagues she’d seen daily for years.
She didn’t even know his name.
Since they wouldn’t meet again after tomorrow, she didn’t bother asking—and she deliberately didn’t offer her name either.
It was enough that they were enjoying this drink together in this moment.
She now had ten hours of freedom left.
“If the world ended in ten hours, what would you do right now?”
At her apocalyptic question, the man gave a cynical smile.
“Was my question childish?”
“No, it’s cute.”
Thinking he was teasing her, Na Young turned away and picked up her glass.
She’d asked only because she didn’t want to part ways with just a simple goodbye.
Right—better not overdo it.
She shouldn’t expect too much from someone she met and would leave today.
“I’d want to kiss someone.”
She froze.
With the glass halfway to her lips, Na Young only moved her eyes to look at the man across from her.
He rested his chin in his hand, staring at her intently.
“A woman whose name I don’t even know.”
First curiosity, then protectiveness, followed by familiarity—and now, instinctive desire.
The whirlwind of emotions she awakened in Tae Hyuk stirred his previously indifferent heart.
To him, she was like an unexpected spark tossed carelessly into his soul.
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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