The Day I Quit Being a Wife (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 12
Eun Soo nodded without hesitation at In Woo’s suggestion.
After all, if she was going to spend the night at the hospital, she needed to eat dinner.
“How about knife-cut noodles?”
“Okay.”
“There’s a place near the hospital’s back gate that makes really good knife-cut noodles. Want to go there?”
“Okay.”
“It’s a bit run-down, though. Is that all right?”
In Woo scratched the back of his head and smiled, seemingly embarrassed that the meal he’d suggested was just knife-cut noodles after asking her to eat with him.
“It’s fine.”
“I thought you probably wouldn’t eat something like this. To be honest, I was a little nervous when I brought it up.”
“‘Something like this’? I’m not picky about food, and I eat well.”
Eun Soo smiled, as if it really didn’t matter.
“Let’s go.”
“Okay.”
Eun Soo followed In Woo as he walked out of the hospital room first. She asked the nurse in charge to look after her mother while she went out for dinner.
“Go down to the first floor and wait for me there.”
“Okay. Got it.”
In Woo got off at a middle floor. He seemed to still have something to take care of.
Eun Soo rode the elevator alone down to the first floor.
Outside, the rain was still pouring heavily.
Eun Soo belatedly realized she didn’t have an umbrella and scanned the first-floor convenience store in the distance. But it didn’t seem to sell umbrellas—there weren’t any in sight.
What should she do? She could only helplessly stare at the falling rain.
Not long after, she heard faint footsteps approaching through the lobby and turned her head. In Woo was walking toward her, wearing a thick padded jacket and holding a long umbrella.
When he reached Eun Soo, In Woo handed her the padded jacket.
“Put this on.”
“…Thank you.”
She only now realized she hadn’t worn an outer layer. Then again, the only coat she’d brought was the one she’d worn earlier. What a ridiculous sight she must have been—track pants paired with a coat.
“We’ll share the umbrella.”
The umbrella in his hand was large enough for two people.
“I came out way too unprepared, didn’t I?”
“Yeah. You’ll catch a cold walking around like that.”
“I didn’t think I’d need to leave the room…”
“I’m basically the reason you’re coming out, so I’ll lend you clothes and hold an umbrella over you too.”
“Thank you.”
Looking at In Woo shrug his shoulders, Eun Soo spoke.
Whether as a child or now, he’s always been such a kind and warm person—thoughtful, too.
If people could have colors, he’d surely be the color of a very warm spring day.
Had they walked side by side for about ten minutes?
A sign appeared, simply bearing the words “Knife-Cut Noodles” in blue letters on a white background.
Rather than looking shabby, it gave the impression of a place that had stood its ground in one spot for a very long time.
Come to think of it, when it rained, she used to eat knife-cut noodles or dumpling soup at places like this with her mother.
Remembering the warm broth from those days, Eun Soo unconsciously felt the corners of her lips turn upward.
“That looks delicious.”
She murmured softly.
“Hmm?”
In Woo must have caught her quiet words as he opened the shop door and asked.
“It’s just been so long since I’ve had knife-cut noodles—I’m already salivating.”
“Should I order extra-large portions?”
“No.”
Eun Soo shook her head.
As they stepped inside, the comforting aroma of anchovy broth tickled her nose. Every table in the small shop was occupied.
Everyone seemed to be office workers stopping by for a simple dinner on a rainy evening.
Eun Soo looked up at the menu board. The place sold only two items: knife-cut noodles and kimbap.
“Want some kimbap too?”
“No, I’m fine.”
“Then I guess I’ll have to eat both rolls by myself.”
In Woo caught the shop owner’s eye from the kitchen and raised his hand.
“Ma’am, two bowls of knife-cut noodles and two rolls of kimbap, please.”
The owner, seemingly familiar with him, nodded with a smile. She then took a good look at Eun Soo standing beside him and immediately began boiling the noodle dough in hot water.
As soon as a table opened up, In Woo gestured for Eun Soo to sit first. He gathered the dishes left by the previous customers, walked over to the kitchen counter, set them down, picked up a dishcloth, and started wiping the table.
Watching In Woo clean the table with practiced ease, Eun Soo let out a small laugh.
“Why are you laughing all of a sudden?”
“You seem just the same as ever.”
“The same?”
As In Woo sat down, Eun Soo poured him a glass of water and handed it over.
“You always wiped the table well when we were little, too.”
“That’s only because you spilled your food all over the place, so I had to clean up after you.”
“Me?”
Eun Soo asked in surprise. In Woo burst out laughing.
“Why are you looking at me like that? Of course little kids spill food—it’s normal. Especially when you had an IV needle stuck in your right hand; it would’ve been weirder if you’d eaten neatly!”
“…I just thought, if I really spilled food like that, I must’ve been pretty clumsy.”
Eun Soo tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear and pouted slightly.
“Eun Soo.”
“Yeah?”
She quietly looked at In Woo, who had suddenly called her name in a rather serious tone.
“That expression you just made.”
“My expression?”
“Yeah. It reminded me of the Eun Soo I remember—really nice to see.”
“…”
“I was a bit worried because your face looked so heavy with worry about Auntie. We haven’t seen each other in such a long time, but even so, the Oh Eun Soo I knew wasn’t this gloomy.”
Eun Soo quietly averted her gaze and took a sip of water.
Even though she tried to hide it, it still showed on her face.
She’d thought if she didn’t show anything, others wouldn’t notice. Yet In Woo, whom she’d just reunited with after so long, immediately saw through her troubled mood.
But even so, she couldn’t tell him everything.
After taking another small sip, Eun Soo said casually, “It’s just because I’m worried about Mom.”
“If we stick to only essential treatments, the hospital bill comes to about this much. The private room fee is what really drives up the cost.”
“…Oh, it’s more than I expected.”
Eun Soo silently counted the digits of the number In Woo had written down on paper.
It was by no means a small amount.
“We could move her into a shared room or consider a nursing home, but you wouldn’t do that.”
“Right. I’d prefer a private room.”
“Then you can expect to pay about this amount each month.”
“Thanks for letting me know.”
Eun Soo tucked the paper with the estimated monthly treatment cost into her pocket.
If she were the one to initiate divorce with Hyuk Joo first, he would likely offer her a generous settlement. But his mother would definitely think differently.
After all, Eun Soo’s marriage had happened not only because of Hyuk Joo’s wishes but also largely due to his mother’s strong influence.
His mother had once casually told Eun Soo, “Because I knew your character—from nursing your bedridden mother for so long—I believed you’d steadfastly endure anything beside Hyuk Joo. That’s why I firmly pushed for you to become my niece-in-law.”
If Eun Soo were the one to ask for divorce first, his mother would very likely send her away with nothing.
She’d probably even freeze all financial assets under Eun Soo’s name so she couldn’t access them freely.
“What are you thinking about so intently?”
“Nothing.”
“Let’s eat our knife-cut noodles.”
In Woo pushed a bowl of noodles toward Eun Soo.
Topped with chives, green onions, and crown daisy greens, the knife-cut noodles didn’t look like anything extraordinary, yet they seemed incredibly appetizing.
Her mouth watered instantly.
Eun Soo took a spoonful of broth and tasted it.
The clean, savory flavor of the anchovy broth sparked her appetite. It felt like the first real meal she’d had in ages. As the warm soup went down, the chaotic thoughts filling her mind just moments ago began to settle.
“Want to try a bite of kimbap?”
In Woo handed her a piece of kimbap topped with finely chopped spicy peppers. Eun Soo picked it up with her chopsticks and ate it.
The simple kimbap, with just the right hint of spiciness, paired surprisingly well with the knife-cut noodles.
“I often come here during night shifts. They also serve cold soybean noodles in the summer.”
“I’ve rarely eaten near the hospital, so I didn’t even know places like this existed. If I’d known, I would’ve come more often.”
Eun Soo lowered her head slightly and looked down at her bowl of noodles.
“Let’s come together from now on.”
“Huh?”
“Oh—only when Vice President Moon Hyuk Joo is busy, like today.”
“…Okay.”
Eun Soo bit her lip hard.
Even when he wasn’t busy, he’d never come to a place like this with her.
Sometimes, when Hyuk Joo heard she was at the hospital, he’d stop by after work to have dinner together. But every time, it was always at a reservation-only Korean fine-dining restaurant, a Japanese restaurant, or a hotel Western dining room—
And always in private rooms.
Now that she thought about it, she’d never once eaten with Hyuk Joo in an open, casual dining space like this.
As if they were trying to hide that they were eating together.
If anyone saw them, they might mistake her for his mistress rather than his wife.
Bitterly amused, Eun Soo smiled wryly.
If not as Moon Hyuk Joo, Vice President of Myungjin Group, but simply as the man Moon Hyuk Joo—what kind of meal would he share with the woman he loves?
She suddenly wondered.
‘I twisted my ankle while organizing the closet.’
‘I can’t move right now. Could you come over, Oppa?’
The woman’s voice echoed in her ears like tinnitus. Soon after, the woman’s face appeared vividly in her mind.
What was Hyuk Joo like when he met that woman, Seo Yeon Ji?
If he’d rushed over the moment she said she’d twisted her ankle, cooking a meal for her probably wouldn’t even be a big deal.
At that thought, the delicious knife-cut noodles suddenly felt like thorny plant stems pricking her throat.
If she’d known it would turn out like this, she shouldn’t have agreed to meet that woman when she’d asked.
It was far too late now—she could only regret it.
Back when she didn’t know much about the woman, she’d assumed she was just someone Hyuk Joo couldn’t forget—a vague presence without clear substance.
But now that she knew her name and face, strange imaginings kept creeping into her mind like just now.
Maybe it would’ve hurt less if she hadn’t known the woman’s name or face at all.
For a moment, heat surged through her entire body.
Eun Soo set down her chopsticks.
“Done eating already?”
“…Yeah. I’ve had enough.”
Eun Soo reached for a napkin and wiped her lips.
She couldn’t tell if she was full or still hungry—it was as if the very ability to feel satisfied had vanished. The desire to eat any more noodles had completely disappeared.
She looked up. Beyond the shop’s glass door, rain poured down violently.
She wanted to run out and stand still in the cold rain. Maybe that inexplicable fever would vanish instantly.
Lost in the rain-streaked view with a dazed expression, her phone suddenly rang from inside the jacket pocket.
She pulled it out.
It was Hyuk Joo.
He must have just read her message saying she’d stay overnight at the hospital.
“Hold on a second, Oppa.”
Eun Soo excused herself to In Woo, who was still eating, and answered the call.
“Yes, it’s me.”
—Where are you?
“At the hospital.”
Hyuk Joo fell silent for a moment after her reply.
She didn’t understand—since he’d already seen her message saying she was at the hospital, why this silence? After a long pause, Eun Soo asked,
“Are you at the office?”
—At the hospital.
“Oh…”
—Eun Soo, where are you?
With a weary sigh, Hyuk Joo asked in a subdued voice.
Male lead fell into her trap — and shattered when she walked away
This is also on my reread list!
This one is a slow burn, but when it burns, it burns hard.
Definitely worth a read, y’all!
The story follows a thousand-year-old seductive spirit who, on a bet, sets out to charm the male lead—a once-promising but unfortunate cultivator.
But just when she succeeds in making him fall for her, she heartlessly leaves, driving him to madness.
Determined to find her at all costs, he captures her, keeping her by his side no matter what, even if she hates him.
I love this kind of trope—I enjoy watching the male lead suffer in agony.
The ending drags a bit with unnecessary filler, but that’s fine.
As long as I enjoy the beginning, I’m good.
Intro
As an enchantress, Su Heng possesses captivating eyes and charming beauty, easily manipulating the joys and sorrows of living beings at her fingertips.
But to enchant a god, making him taste the bitterness of love’s separation, long-lasting resentment, unattainable desires, and inability to let go…
Do you dare?
Su Heng assists a divine lord in his cultivation, aiming to make him experience all the sufferings of love, so that he can attain the Great Dao.
Only after being chased down from the heavens by the divine lord, confined and completely possessed by him, does she realize how successful she has been.
The once gentle and polite youth has transformed into someone she no longer recognizes.
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
The extreme miscommunication is getting on my nerves now.
I wish he could actually say what he fully means for once
Hyuk Joo does not mess around. When dealing with someone like this you have to be direct!