Your face looks so fine, why?
I wanted to answer like that, but I held back.
It wasn’t because of the cold atmosphere Raven exuded but the expressions of the people around us.
‘He really needs to watch his language.’
It might be his natural disposition, but Raven had a tendency to blurt out his words.
It won’t do him any good to keep this up in the long run.
Just as I thought I should mention this to him later, Sione got up and offered me her seat next to her.
“Sorry for keeping you standing, Raven. Come sit here.”
“……Alright.”
The place Sione pointed to was the chair beside her.
In other words, it was the seat farthest from me.
Although our dining table seated only four, Raven and I ended up facing each other, yet I could sense she still had her guard up around him.
“Now, shall we start our meal? Our palace’s chef has prepared an especially lavish feast for Elga today. I hope you enjoy it to your heart’s content.”
“Ho, I’m looking forward to it. Living alone in the deep mountains, I’ve been subsisting on thin soup.”
“The chef is highly skilled, so your expectations will be met.”
Soon enough, we found out Sione’s words were true.
Dishes made from high-quality ingredients we normally wouldn’t even see started to fly onto the table.
‘Wow, I’ve never seen food like this before.’
A turkey roast nearly the size of my torso and a juicy, delectable steak.
Over ten types of abundant fruits and bread, and even potato potage loaded with cream.
The dishes laid out before us were nothing but luxurious.
Since I’ve never experienced a genuine feast in either my past or current life, I couldn’t help but widen my eyes.
‘Raven doesn’t seem to be any different from me.’
Sione and Elga, seemingly accustomed to such situations, maintained a relaxed atmosphere while dining. He, however, was different.
His face looked as serious as someone who’d faced a great calamity, and he appeared confused about how to use the various types of utensils laid out on both sides.
“Just use a fork, Raven. I’m using one too.”
“……Alright.”
“I forgot to mention this before we started eating. Since it’s just us, don’t worry about etiquette and eat comfortably. I’ll teach you the formalities later.”
“I also want to learn etiquette with Raven!”
“Would you? Once Bella gets a little older, it would be nice for both of you to learn some culture.”
Even though the promise was for later, it was a valuable response to me.
It meant that Sione hadn’t completely given up on Raven.
‘I wish they’d clear up their misunderstanding soon.’
Sione didn’t lock Raven in a room because she disliked him.
She was uncomfortable because she felt he was hiding something about the day I fainted.
But since it was revealed that my sudden loss of magical power was simply due to the destruction of the magic stone, and I’ve been perfectly healthy since waking up, it didn’t seem like she really doubted him.
I was observing the two while transferring food from my plate to my mouth.
A soft sigh escaped Raven’s lips across the table.
“……Delicious.”
His golden eyes widened in surprise, filling with vitality.
The color returning to his face from just the taste of the food made him look like a regular boy his age.
Sione quickly cleared her plate and moved the food closer to Raven, taking care to serve Elga her favorite dishes.
“Creamy potato potage, a menu you’ve always enjoyed, right? I even brought bread from your favorite bakery, so please try some.”
“Ahh, it’s been so long. I’ve missed the taste of this rich cream and the delicious bread you dip into it.”
“You’ve always preferred simpler dishes over greasy foods. I prepared other banquet dishes just in case, but I figured you’d like this one the most.”
“That’s right. As you get older, the food you used to eat starts to taste the best.”
“I’m glad you like it.”
“You really have a knack for impressing people now and then, Sione. The problem is it happens too infrequently.”
As Elga began to grumble again, the friendly conversation between master and apprentice took a quick sour turn.
I decided not to concern myself with their future arguments and shifted my gaze towards Raven, who was sitting across from me.
‘It’s good to see him eat well.’
The tense air he exhibited when we first entered the restaurant had disappeared. Raven was just a carefree boy stuffing his face.
Although the servant who kept bringing him food was sweating bullets, from my perspective, it was a gratifying sight.
“Why aren’t you eating?”
Raven asked cautiously, catching my eye. I answered nonchalantly.
“I’m still a kid, y’know. If I eat a bit more, I’ll get bloated.”
“Eat a little more. There’s so much delicious food here, it’s a waste.”
It was only after Raven spoke that I realized his true feelings.
He was eating hurriedly, concerned there might not be another opportunity.
‘Poor thing…’
Unlike vampires who might look young but are usually much older, Raven was truly just a boy who had recently turned 10.
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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