Je Ho seemed to have misunderstood again, thinking Yul Li had been subjected to violence by Assemblyman Chae.
“No, it’s not like that.”
Yul Li quickly shook her head, raising her hand. However, she couldn’t reveal that the bruised flesh from being hit hadn’t healed yet. That would mean admitting the violence was severe.
As she hesitated to explain, Je Ho’s expression hardened with understanding. Instead of pressing for an answer, he gently cupped the cheek that had been hit and softly stroked it with his thumb.
“I promise to ensure no one ever lays a hand on you again.”
“…Even if it’s just words, thank you.”
“It’s not just words.”
Je Ho spoke with sincerity in his eyes, but Yul Li faintly smiled, not saying anything. A silence lingered between them until Yul Li spoke up.
“You really don’t have to worry. I don’t just let things happen to me. This time, I just chose to endure it.”
At her words, Je Ho chuckled.
“Really? Did I underestimate the indomitable Chae Yul Li? The woman who can tame the mad dog Kwon Min Woo like a puppy…”
At the term ‘mad dog’, Yul Li burst into laughter. She knew about Min Woo’s temper, but Je Ho was the first to openly call him that.
“Why do you hate Min Woo so much? He’s still your cousin.”
“I don’t hate him. I’m just telling the truth.”
Je Ho returned to his seat across from her.
“Do you think I’m seducing you because I’m currently engaged to Min Woo?”
Yul Li’s expression subtly changed at the mention of seduction. Unable to gauge how to respond if she acknowledged it outright, she remained silent. Je Ho continued.
“If I hadn’t followed my father to America back then, I should have stayed here and married you…”
Perhaps then, they would have fallen in love. He would have been her solid shield, protecting her from any storm, ensuring no one could harm her, even if it was her own father.
“What happened between you and the Assemblyman during this time?”
“…Well, nothing much in particular…”
Yul Li avoided his gaze, fumbling with her words. The family’s disgrace was her own too. She couldn’t tell him something she couldn’t even confess to Hyun Kyung.
What if they had married? Would he have consoled her on her tearful days saying, ‘It’ll be alright’? Would it have been less miserable? Less lonely?
But that was just an unrealized past. Shaking off her thoughts, Yul Li continued in a calm tone.
“This incident was partly my fault. It was on the day of the election campaign, and I didn’t think that any of the residents would recognize me.”
“Does that justify violence?”
“…No, of course not.”
As Yul Li easily agreed, not wanting to prolong the serious conversation, Je Ho turned his gaze to the necklace laid on the table.
“The clasp seems to be loosened.”
Holding the necklace, Je Ho pressed the loosened clasp with his fingertips. Easily fixing it with his hand strength, he stood up, holding the necklace.
“Get a thicker cord without a clasp when you get the chance. That way, it’ll never slip off your neck again.”
After putting the necklace around Yul Li’s neck, Je Ho picked up the soup bowl in front of him.
“I’ll add ice and blend it to cool it down. The texture will be softer and easier to swallow.”
Yul Li touched the necklace Je Ho had just put on her, watching him put the soup in the blender.
―I should have stayed here and married you…
His earlier words echoed in her ears. Were they sincere? Even if they were just courteous lies, she was happy he said them.
She wasn’t sure about her feelings yet. Was it just the old memories stirring her up, or was she genuinely attracted to him as a man? She couldn’t deny a physical attraction between them.
One thing was certain: she couldn’t push him away. Hadn’t she just thrown herself at him moments ago? If he hadn’t stopped first…
The thought alone was suffocating, making her face flush. Yul Li quickly stood up.
“I’ll check if my clothes have dried.”
Unable to face Je Ho any longer, feeling frustrated at her indecisiveness, she hastily escaped to the laundry room.
After dinner and waiting for her clothes to dry, it was past midnight. Je Ho kindly drove her back to Hyun Kyung’s house. Thanking him and about to open the car door, Yul Li hesitated and turned towards the driver’s seat.
“About today…”
“I know. We shouldn’t read too much into it.”
Before Yul Li could finish, Je Ho smiled kindly, his eyes crinkling.
“I’m not the type of guy who expects you to take responsibility for a kiss.”
She intended to say something similar, but feeling oddly unsettled by his preemptive comment, she mimicked his soft smile.
“I appreciate your open-mindedness for thinking that way.”
“Of course. I don’t expect you to fall for just one kiss. But if it keeps happening, then it might be different.”
She wanted to retort that it would never happen again, but her lips wouldn’t move. She should have said it was just a mistake in the heat of the moment… But Yul Li remained silent.
That would be a lie. Her heart was already racing.
My Ex-Girlfriend Is The Regent In The Female-dominant World (Male lead transmigrates to the matriarchal world)
Two years ago, Gu Sui picked up a homeless woman in ancient costume from the street.
Apart from occasionally claiming to be a princess from a female-dominant country due to illness, her figure, appearance, intelligence, and martial arts skills were impeccable.
Naturally evolving from roommates to girlfriends, as time went on, Gu Sui found it increasingly difficult to tolerate her queen syndrome.
“Mu Jiulu, can you stop controlling me inside and out? Let’s break up.”
Gu Sui made a breakup call, and since then, he couldn’t find any trace of her.
A year later, Gu Sui, who was planning to move, woke up the next day and found himself in a different place.
“Young Master, today is the day you choose your Wife-master through martial arts competition at Jade Dew Pavilion. Please get up quickly.”
Gu Sui: Who am I? Where am I? What am I doing?
As the only son of a general’s mansion in a female-dominant dynasty, the young empress personally issued a decree allowing Gu Sui to select his Wife-master through martial arts competition. Whoever could defeat him could marry him.
Gu Sui: “……”
He didn’t inherit the original owner’s martial prowess, so anyone could defeat him! And what the hell is a Wife-master?
Forced to come to Jade Dew Pavilion, the densely packed women below made Gu Sui’s agoraphobia act up, and his face was full of resistance.
Until he saw the Regent sitting on the second floor, with a smile on the corner of her lips, her eyes wicked and nonchalant.
Hmm… she looked a little familiar.
It turned out that the Regent also found him a little familiar.
Mu Jiulu fiddled with her bone clasp, her deep gaze locked on the man who was out of place in this world.
“Finally, I found you.”
Male transmigrates into female-dominant world
One-sentence summary: What goes around comes around, taking turns in the crematorium
