Before long, a course meal was served. It was an enormous quantity for two people to eat, and it was overly extravagant.
“Eat. You said you liked this.”
“I don’t.”
At the cold response, Jung Hyuk’s eyebrows slightly raised.
“Really? Then Bae Sol lied.”
“……”
Da Jung didn’t hide her sigh.
Sol had not only played the spy, but also seemed to have committed a sin against the palate.
Feeling irritated, Da Jung poured sake into the glass in front of her. Her heart pounded as she gulped down two full glasses.
As she reached for the bottle again, a large hand overlaid hers.
“Take it easy. Drink while eating.”
His voice, whispering softly, was more subdued than usual.
Having gently taken the bottle from Da Jung’s hand, he tilted it. The warmed alcohol filled the empty glass with a refreshing sound.
Again, Da Jung downed the glass he had filled in one go. As she swallowed the astringent liquid and set down the glass, a sudden savory aroma wafted over her.
When she looked up, a piece of white flesh had been brought right up to her nose. He extended his long arm, dangling the flesh in the air and gently shaking it as if to say ‘eat it’.
“I’m fine. I have my own hands.”
Coldly ignoring him, Da Jung awkwardly ate a piece of sashimi with her chopsticks. She chewed hard, as if to indicate that she wouldn’t spit it out.
The moment she tasted the chewy and savory flavor, Da Jung’s eyes involuntarily widened. If the atmosphere hadn’t been like this, she might have made a fuss about how delicious it was.
Jung Hyuk quietly placed the ignored sashimi in front of Da Jung. Then, he cautiously patted Si Woo’s shoulder again.
“He looks like me. It’s very interesting.”
“……”
Da Jung couldn’t say anything.
What should she say? Should she agree that they looked alike, or say it’s obvious because he’s your son?
“Were you in a lot of pain?”
“……”
When she didn’t answer, his gaze returned from Si Woo.
“Did it hurt when you gave birth to Yu Si Woo?”
“You wouldn’t understand even if I explained.”
“They say it’s hard because of the labor pains. How long did it last?”
“Eighteen hours……”
Without thinking, Da Jung murmured and let out a sigh.
“Mr. Cha Jung Hyuk. What are you trying to do now?”
“Just curious. I don’t know anything. So, I don’t even know how sorry I should be……”
Da Jung felt a lump in her throat for no reason.
“There’s no reason for you to be sorry, Mr. Cha Jung Hyuk.”
“Yu Si Woo is your everything, you said. I didn’t do anything about it. That’s why I’m sorry.”
The ending sound of his sentence, which connected while he looked at her with deep eyes, was awkwardly pronounced.
I’m sorry. An apology. It was the first time Cha Jung Hyuk had ever uttered these words to someone in his life.
At his words, a myriad of indescribable emotions surged up to Da Jung’s throat.
“Why should you be sorry, Mr. Cha Jung Hyuk?”
“Just everything. I feel like I should be sorry for everything.”
“Again, there’s no reason for you to be sorry. It hurt a lot, but seeing the baby’s face made me forget it quickly.”
“That’s true. No matter how much you tell me, I won’t understand. How much it hurt.”
“Even if it hurts, it’s worth it. It’s more precious and valuable because it hurt so much.”
Having finished speaking, Da Jung took another sip of her sake.
“That woman must have been in pain too.”
“That woman… who are you talking about?”
“The woman who gave birth to me.”
Da Jung heaved a hollow sigh. It was quite a skill to make the conversation uncomfortable.
“Why do you talk about your mother that way? Of course, your mother must have been in pain and suffering. That’s why you’re precious to your mother.”
“Is that so? She must have had contractions and suffered a lot, but she endured it and gave birth. Could she have abandoned me as soon as she gave birth?”
His eyes gazing at Siwoo’s face wavered with sadness.
The air grew heavy. Da Jung didn’t know what to say.
Although he didn’t say it explicitly, she could roughly guess that he had some wounds, even with a few words.
She had believed he was a man who led a remarkable life without any deficiencies. His house, car, position. Everything visible seemed perfect.
But she also knew that wasn’t all. She knew that emotional deficiency couldn’t be filled with any material.
Still, could she not offer some comfort?
“…Cha Jung Hyuk.”
As she called his name, Jung Hyuk’s gaze directly met hers.
“All mothers in the world can’t be the same. But one thing is certain, their expression or method may differ, but a mother’s heart is the same.”
“Not all mothers are like you.”
“….”
“That’s why I think it’s remarkable. You should not be criticized by someone but respected.”
Da Jung bit her lip slightly. She had only done what she thought was natural as a mother, she had never thought of herself as special.
“Yoo Da Jung. You’ve worked hard. I’m sincere.”
His heavy and serious voice resounded in her chest, like a warm hand comforting her drooping shoulders.
Suddenly, Da Jung’s eyes welled up.
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.”
