The bright smile he had shown while with the guards had disappeared without a trace, leaving only a look of contempt.
Yul Li was meeting Je Ho for the first time today, but it seemed like he already knew her. She had been frequently mobilized for Representative Chae’s election campaigns, so her photos could easily be found online.
“I have no intention of getting married, so give up and save your efforts. Understand, kiddo?”
Je Ho really treated Yul Li like a kid, patting her head.
Yul Li, initially bewildered, soon understood the situation. He too, didn’t want this arranged marriage.
Yul Li narrowed her eyes and blocked Je Ho’s way with her arms spread wide.
“Why should I plead? I hate strategic marriages as much as you do!”
“Well, that’s fortunate. After today, we won’t have to see each other’s faces.”
Having said that, Je Ho pushed Yul Li’s blocking arm aside with his finger. Regardless of who made the first physical contact, he seemed to have no desire to touch her now.
What’s the point of having a handsome face? He’s completely annoying!
All that about the perfect ideal man, cancelled! Even though it was a brief moment, irritation surged at the fact that her heart had been moved.
However, the silver lining was that he didn’t want to get married either. Yul Li comforted her bad mood, reminding herself they wouldn’t see each other again.
However, her wish did not last even a month, evaporating into thin air. They met again at a voluntary meeting for repairing the houses of marginalized groups, introduced by her major professor.
Is this what they mean by meeting your enemy on a narrow road?
They had to maintain etiquette in front of the professor, but when his back was turned, they glared at each other. Thus, the volunteer work couldn’t be done properly. Since she was outdone last time, Yul Li resolved to take the initiative this time.
Seeing an opportunity, Yul Li quickly followed Je Ho outside to dispose of the garbage.
“Don’t come to the next volunteer meeting, okay?”
Even though he knew what she meant, Je Ho pretended not to hear, and continued down the stairs. Unable to do anything, Yul Li followed behind him, adding to her explanation.
“We agreed not to see each other. It’s uncomfortable for both of us, right?”
“Why should I be the one to drop out of the meeting, not you?”
Je Ho only gave Yul Li a glance after disposing of the trash in the bin at the bottom of the stairs.
“So you’re telling me to drop out?”
At that, Je Ho shrugged his shoulders and walked up the stairs. Again, Yul Li followed, explaining her situation.
“I would if I could, but I can’t just drop out like you. Because…”
“Are you worried that people will say, ‘Representative Chae’s eldest daughter gave up volunteering in just one day’?”
At Je Ho’s words, Yul Li stopped in her tracks. He was right. If she quit volunteering as soon as she started, it was obvious that people would talk. Je Ho stopped and turned around when Yul Li didn’t follow.
“By the look on your face, I guess I’m right?”
“Yes, you’re right.”
She didn’t think about denying it. At this point, she hoped he would back down first. However, he had no reaction. He just turned his back and continued up the stairs.
“Hey!”
As the distance between Yul Li and Je Ho grew, she hurried up the stairs after him. But in her haste, she stumbled. She managed to grab the handrail, but in the process, she tugged at her necklace.
The necklace snapped off and flew towards the abyss next to the stairs. She tried to catch the falling necklace, but due to a splitsecond misstep, it fell into the abyss below.
“No!”
Yul Li, pale with fear, bent over the rail to reach for it. However, she was stopped by Je Ho’s hand.
“Are you crazy?”
“My necklace fell down there.”
Yul Li pointed to where her necklace had fallen halfway down the abyss. Je Ho furrowed his brow, as if he couldn’t believe it.
“Do you think this is a walk in the park? Going down there just for a necklace?”
“It’s not just any necklace. It’s a keepsake from my mother!”
As she spoke, tears dropped from her eyes. Just as Je Ho said, going down there could be a reckless act. But she couldn’t bear to lose her mother’s only memento.
If she had known this would happen, she should have kept it safely in her jewelry box instead of wearing it around.
Feeling responsible for the loss, her sadness deepened and tears blurred her vision. Yet, she couldn’t just stand there crying. She had to dry her tears and carefully descend the cliff…
It was then.
“Damn it.”
Looking at the sobbing Yul Li, Je Ho cursed under his breath, and then, with a heave, jumped over the railing and started descending the cliff. Moments later, he came back up with the necklace in his hand.
Yul Li couldn’t believe it as she looked at Je Ho and the necklace he had retrieved. Then she noticed the scrape on his arm that was beginning to bleed as he had descended the cliff.
Je Ho too glanced at his injured arm. Then he gave Yul Li, who was on the verge of tears, a faint smile that made her heart flutter. His attitude seemed to have softened, perhaps to prevent her from feeling guilty.
“It’s nothing, don’t worry about it.”
It seemed like a casual comment, but to Yul Li, it was a comforting one. And so, once again, tears started to flow.
“I said, don’t worry about it.”
As she continued to cry, Je Ho frowned and grumbled. He then reached out and gently wiped away the tears streaming down her cheeks. This seemingly indifferent gesture made Yul Li feel as if her heart had dropped for the first time in her life.
Ever since that day, Yul Li had been confused.
She was against a marriage of convenience, but whenever she thought about Je Ho, her determination wavered. She was tempted to give in and marry him. The thought kept her awake at night.
But was it a blessing or a curse?
Not long after, a scandal broke out. When a problem arose in an overseas construction project, all blame was directed towards Vice Chairman Kwon Je Woong. Ultimately, he took responsibility for the situation and stepped down.
Vice Chairman Kwon left the country with his family, and the engagement between the two ended up falling through. What happened after that, she didn’t know, but everyone said that the Vice Chairman’s family would never return to Korea.
Just like that, her first love ended before it even began. After that, Yul Li’s life was engulfed in a storm of confusion, and love became a distant memory.
Her oncevibrant emotions had withered, and her oncebeating heart felt as if it had stopped.
.
.
.
And yet…
Waking up from her reverie, Yul Li furrowed her brows.
Why did he suddenly come back?
From the indifferent look in his eyes, it seemed as if he didn’t remember her.
True, much can change in ten years, and their connection was shortlived. Besides, they were both soaked and in a state of chaos at the time.
Or maybe he recognized her but decided to pretend otherwise. After all, their relationship was shortlived. It ended as soon as it started, so there wasn’t really much of a connection to begin with.
She was about to start the car when the ‘dingdong’ sound of a text message echoed from her purse. It was from Min Woo.
So now he realizes his mistake?
Instead of responding to the message, Yul Li placed her phone back into her purse. Even if she forgave his rudeness due to today’s accident, she wasn’t in the mood to talk right now.
The notification for the message rang a few more times, then fell silent.
Yul Li’s gaze moved to Je Ho’s jacket, which was beside her purse. She reached out and gently stroked the darkcolored jacket.
His wound seemed quite deep… He must be heading straight to the hospital, right?
As if reminding her of its owner, the jacket felt cold yet soft under her palm.
When scheming men desperately battle for her favor in the male harem
This one’s also on my reread list! The rivalry, scheming between the men in the imperial harem are just as intense and thrilling as in classic palace drama novels, where concubines fight to the death. Give it a read, girls! I promise you won’t be disappointed.
Synopsis:
“I am not worthy of her… but I still want to be by her side, even if only as a loyal dog…”
Those were the painful whispers of Yue Guanyi – the proud Crown Prince of the Great Qi, who was torn between deep love and a guilty conscience. Despite holding the supreme power of the Imperial Guard, he still could not forget the dark past when he was sold into a brothel.
Fate played a cruel twist when Qiu Shuzhi – a young female official who had just passed the imperial examinations with top honors – stepped into his life. She did not know that she was the one who had saved him from a tragic fate many years ago. And now, her heart was the target of pursuit for both Yue Guanyi and the powerful Empress Dowager Qin Qing.
While Yue Guanyi only dared to silently care for and protect the one he loved from afar, the Empress Dowager Qin Qing openly expressed his feelings and did not hesitate to take advantage of his power to approach Qiu Shuzhi. The covert struggle between the two most powerful forces in the imperial court began…
Trigger warning: All men in this novel are yandere style.
_____
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.
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
