The Credentials of a Couple (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 2
“A girl?”
Bake’s eyes narrowed slightly.
Fortunately, no real disturbance could be sensed from him.
Instead, he merely let out a hollow chuckle, as if he’d just heard something utterly absurd.
That gave me a bit more courage.
I reopened the dresser drawer I’d closed and took out the earring.
“I found this earring.”
“This is…”
“Meriel said you were going to give it to me as a gift, but I don’t remember ever receiving it.”
“Could it be… you’ve been upset over this?”
Bake clicked his tongue and took the earring from my hand.
I frowned, shooting him a sidelong glare.
“Stop laughing and explain this properly. Is this really something I should be worried about?”
“No. Not at all.”
“Really?”
“This earring was a gift I received from a business contact. I was supposed to give it to you.”
“Then why didn’t you give it to me?”
“It’s not your style. I was thinking of just taking out the gemstone and having it remade into something else, but it disappeared. I had the servants searching for it when it turned up here. Looks like Meriel found it first, so we couldn’t locate it.”
Bake took the earring from my hand.
Even at that moment, it shimmered brightly.
“Really?”
“Why would I lie to you?”
Bake smiled.
I still couldn’t relax my tense expression and scowled deeply.
“It’s fine if you keep a mistress. But no illegitimate children. You understand what I mean, right?”
“So as long as I don’t father a bastard, you’re okay with me having another woman?”
Our eyes met, and my throat suddenly went dry.
But I forced my face into a calm, indifferent expression.
“As long as my rights and Meriel’s future are secured, I don’t care.”
“You don’t care? Are you serious?”
“Yes. It’s fine. Everyone does it anyway.”
“You really wouldn’t mind even if I did?”
“…”
“Liviana.”
“…No.”
I couldn’t hold my husband’s gaze and let my shoulders slump.
I tried to act like it was fine, but of course, I couldn’t.
“I’m glad you got angry.”
Bake spread his arms and pulled me into an embrace.
I tried to push him away, but soon gave in and leaned weakly against him.
“I’m angry, so why are you laughing?”
“Because you’re jealous.”
“And that makes you happy?”
“Jealousy only comes from caring. That fact makes me happy. If you’re jealous, it means you care about me too.”
“…”
I stared up at him for a long moment before finally letting my eyes soften.
I wanted to believe him more than I wanted to keep doubting him.
All this time, Bake had been a good husband to me and a good father to Meriel.
“You didn’t marry me because you wanted to.”
“…”
“If it hadn’t been for ‘that incident,’ so many things would have been different. If not for that, the person beside you now wouldn’t be me—”
“Stop.”
I lightly tapped Bake’s hand in reproach.
Only then did he realize his mistake and gave a bitter smile.
“Sorry. I guess I was being a bit sensitive.”
Bake let out a short sigh.
After a long pause of deep thought, he finally spoke.
“I know how pathetic it sounds for a man to say this, and I know you’re not that kind of person. But still…”
“What do you want to say?”
“There’s a rumor that Duke Pierne is returning.”
Bake stepped back, his expression darkening.
“Could it be… you drank because of that?”
“…”
“Bake.”
“…Sorry.”
Bake hung his head low.
It seemed I wasn’t the only one feeling uneasy.
I reached out and gently stroked his slumped shoulders.
“The past is just the past.”
“…”
“What matters isn’t what happened before, but what’s happening now.”
The fact that you’re my husband, and I’m your wife.
I softly caressed Bake’s cheek.
Bake hesitated for a moment before finally lowering his eyes.
“…I was jealous of a woman of yours who doesn’t even exist.”
“So you just admitted to being jealous—with your own mouth?”
“I know it’s common among nobles—even joked about how unusual it is for a married couple not to have mistresses—but we’re still husband and wife.”
“…”
“If you ever took another woman, I’d naturally be angry and upset.”
I leaned naturally against him, placing my hand over his.
“I never dreamed you’d be the one to confess jealousy first.”
“What did you expect me to say, then?”
“You’re the most rational person I know.”
“I just try hard to appear that way.”
Because I don’t want to repeat the same mistakes.
I swallowed the rest of what I couldn’t bring myself to say, closed my eyes briefly, then opened them again.
When I opened my eyes, Bake was still gazing at me.
“I’ve always thought emotions were a person’s weakness and something to be hidden. That’s why I don’t like showing them.”
“After all these years together, do you really think I don’t know that about you?”
“And yet, you’re fine with it.”
“…”
“You’re the only one who doesn’t mind when I show you my weaknesses.”
It took a tremendous amount of courage to say that, but it was okay.
I forced a smile through the awkward silence and hugged Bake.
“Our marriage hasn’t been smooth, but we’ve gotten along better than any other couple I know. Now, I can’t even imagine a life without you.”
“Liviana…”
“This might sound embarrassing, but marrying you was the greatest blessing of my life.”
Bake tightened his arms around me.
I took a slow breath in the suddenly smaller space between us.
The slightly quickened beat of my heart told me everything about the feelings he held for me.
That was enough.
He’d been consistent all these years—and he always would be.
“It’s already been ten years since we married—how could I not have developed feelings? I’ve lived as your wife all this time, and you as my husband. It’d be strange if I hadn’t grown attached.”
“Liviana, you have no idea how happy I am right now.”
“Had I known you’d like this so much, I should’ve said it more often.”
Had I really been so cold all this time?
I frowned, reflecting on my past behavior.
Seeing my husband look so childishly delighted made me wonder if I’d been too reserved with my emotions.
“…Thank you, Liviana. I’ll do better from now on.”
“You’re already doing more than enough.”
I whispered into Bake’s ear and closed my eyes.
Our marriage had been arranged purely out of convenience.
We’d never passionately loved each other.
But ten years of marriage was no short span of time.
Between us lay a trust built over many long years.
⭐ ⭐ ⭐
“You must really like those earrings—you keep wearing them.”
“They seem to suit me well.”
I smiled faintly as I finished my tea.
Dangling from my earlobe was the earring Bake had recently had reworked and gifted to me.
“Where did you buy them? They look really familiar.”
Margaret’s eyes sparkled.
She couldn’t seem to take her eyes off my earrings.
“I didn’t buy them.”
“Then…?”
“Remember? The earrings Meriel found the other day.”
“Oh, those.”
“It was a gift from a business contact, but since the design wasn’t to my taste, Bake planned to take out the gemstones and remake them. I never wear dangling earrings, so he was trying to be thoughtful, I suppose.”
I gently touched the gemstone with my fingertips, testing its feel.
Human hearts are fickle—what had felt uncomfortable just recently now seemed perfectly pleasing.
“Well, that’s good news.”
“Good?”
“I know it’s your private matter as a couple, but I was still worried…”
“Worried Bake was having an affair?”
“I’m sorry if I misunderstood! But your expression back then looked so awful.”
Like you’d burst into tears at the slightest touch.
I quietly handed Margaret my handkerchief.
Her eyes were already glistening with moisture.
“I’m sorry for making you worry.”
“No, it’s just… I was afraid you were having a hard time…”
Margaret bit her lip and glanced at me cautiously.
I deliberately widened my smile to reassure her.
“What’s hard about it? It was all a misunderstanding.”
“…But was it really just a misunderstanding?”
“Hm?”
“I know His Grace isn’t that kind of person, but you never know…”
“Bake is—”
“Count Pieran supposedly fathered a son outside his marriage.”
“…Count Pieran? That devoted husband?”
Margaret quickly nodded and immediately continued.
“Count Pieran says it was a mistake—he did it in a fit of anger because he couldn’t stand hearing people say he wasn’t man enough.”
“But Count Pieran already has three children—”
“All daughters. It’s not the same as having a legitimate son to carry on the line. People’s opinions change depending on whether you have a strong heir or not.”
“…”
“Everyone says it—sure, what Count Pieran did wasn’t right, but they understand. If the field itself is barren, what can you do?”
Margaret let her shoulders droop wearily.
“Bake isn’t like that.”
“Count Pieran didn’t seem like that type either.”
“…”
“I don’t want to say this, but hearing about Count Pieran just makes me worry. Especially for you two…”
Margaret couldn’t finish her sentence and instead stared pointedly at my lower abdomen. I pressed my lips together tightly.
There was no need to say it out loud.
I knew exactly what Margaret couldn’t bring herself to say.
I could no longer have children.
⭐ ⭐ ⭐
My eyes widened as I stepped out of Meriel’s room after tucking her in and came face to face with someone.
He looked just as surprised, offering an awkward smile.
“What are you doing here?”
“Meriel wouldn’t fall asleep tonight no matter what, so I kept reading her fairy tales. What about you?”
“Well, obviously I came to see our little princess.”
Bake grinned broadly, raising both arms.
He was still dressed in his outdoor clothes, as if he’d come straight to see Meriel the moment he returned.
“Unfortunately, Meriel’s already asleep.”
“Too late. I even bought her favorite cake.”
Bake proudly showed me the cake box, his lips curling upward.
“Want to have a drink together? It’s been a while.”
“At this hour?”
“It *has* been a while.”
“…”
“Do you not want to?”
Bake watched my expression carefully.
I hesitated briefly before nodding.
Normally, I’d have refused, but given our recent misunderstanding, it seemed like a good chance to grow closer.
“No, I’d like to. Let’s drink.”
“Really?”
“I’ll just talk to Margaret for a bit and come right over. I have something to tell her.”
“Alright. But hurry.”
“Got it. I’ll be quick.”
“If you kissed me, waiting would be much sweeter.”
Bake bent slightly, meeting my gaze.
His familiar scent of soap reached me.
“Later.”
“Why?”
“This is the hallway. What if someone sees us?”
“There’s no one passing by—what’s the harm?”
Bake pouted in protest, but I firmly pushed him away.
“Some things just aren’t done, no matter what. We have to uphold certain standards.”
“Alright. I’ll wait.”
Bake didn’t hide his disappointment but obediently stepped back. With him, the faint fragrance that had tickled my nose also disappeared.
I stood still for a moment, watching my husband’s retreating back, then slowly turned and walked away.
Margaret’s guest quarters were located on the inner side of the estate.
To reach her, I had to pass by Meriel’s room.
But before I even reached Meriel’s door, my steps faltered and stopped.
“…”
When I turned around, Bake was already gone.
Yet I stood there, staring blankly at the spot where he’d vanished, as if entranced.
Though my husband had left, I remembered clearly the scent that had clung to him.
The moment I realized that, my lips went dry.
Male lead is reincarnated to save his wife
I’ve also read this one twice already. The female lead is kinda soft and gets embarrassed easily—not really my type, but the plot is definitely worth reading. Hurry up and read it, y’all!
Intro
When Shen Yuan encountered Su Jin again in his previous life, she had already become the Prime Minister of the current dynasty. As for him, the former top young master of the capital, he had long since fallen into the abyss, becoming a singer on a pleasure boat.
After a song ended, he was redeemed and sent to the Su Residence.
Su Jin respected and cherished him, gave him a roof over his head, and bestowed him with warmth. Shen Yuan fell deeper and deeper, but before he could express his feelings, Su Jin passed away.
Shen Yuan died to follow her in death, but instead, he returned to when he was fifteen years old.
At that time, he was not yet engaged, and Su Jin was just a poor scholar.
Shen Yuan gritted his teeth, casting aside all his pride, and thought of ways to coax and entice her every day.
The colder and more indifferent Su Jin was towards him, the more proactive Shen Yuan became.
He was not afraid of being mocked by the world, only wanting to marry his Wife-master early, to hold her hand and never let go for a lifetime.
[Note: This story will not specifically point out the male lead’s reincarnation time point; it’s all in the details. Whenever you feel that the male lead is acting strangely, he has most likely been reincarnated.]
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
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