Despite having to find a place to go and a good restaurant to visit with Tae-jo, her mind was restless, and she couldn’t focus on reading.
Of course, all of this was because of the encounter with Oye-ri during the day.
‘I didn’t know my pictures were still around. Yes, I was one of the early members of Yoon Se-kyung’s agency. Our family was a bit special compared to Tae-jo oppa’s. So, when I heard that Yoon Jo oppa was going to set up a management company, I joined. Our mothers were very close, and they used to talk about how it would be nice if Tae-jo oppa and I got married later.’
Se-kyung squeezed the cushion corner as if pulling out someone’s hair.
“What if such words were exchanged? Marriage is with me, after all.”
Despite uttering a few words, the pent-up resentment hadn’t completely dissipated. Se-kyung pounded the cushion with her fist as if venting her anger.
The constant repetition of “Tae-jo oppa” at the end of every sentence continued to grate on her ears. Even though she knew about Tae-jo and me getting married, the casual remarks about how close our mothers were and how special our families were didn’t sit well with her.
Moreover, it was predictable that such words would be spilled in front of her. Even though Oye-ri claimed to have just expressed her honest thoughts, it was likely that she had an interest in Tae-jo.
She couldn’t predict how he would react.
‘…Rumors say that Oye-ri’s family is well acquainted with the chairman’s family. Anyway, I heard that Oye-ri’s personality is quite difficult. Kang Sang-moo and Jin Daepyo apparently had a hard time with her during that time. And after that incident…’
Se-kyung echoed Director Song’s words and searched for Oye-ri’s name.
Last time, only information about the namesake appeared, but this time, perhaps due to her participation in a new program, several updates about Oye-ri were available.
Oseong Mulsan’s youngest daughter, born with a silver spoon, Oye-ri’s car, past controversies about Oye-ri’s acting, and more.
Se-kyung searched for Oye-ri’s past works mentioned in the articles and checked related news.
However, the content was limited to controversies about her acting skills or incidents of leaving the set. There was no article related to the violence incident that Director Song mentioned.
“She said she prevented articles from being published. Huh? Wait, violence incident?”
Suddenly, Se-kyung’s head turned as she recalled a scene.
It was some time ago. While observing Tae-jo’s face as he slept, she had discovered a wound on his forehead. When she asked how he got that wound, he responded with something.
“It wasn’t a fight, more like I got tangled up. I got hurt while being stuck among rowdy drunks. This is the scar from back then.”
“How do you get hurt so badly just by getting tangled up?”
“Someone I knew was there at that drinking party, and I went to pull him out. That’s how it happened.”
At that time, he had said that he got hurt while trying to pull someone out from the drinking party.
She wondered who that person could be. Was it Oye-ri, who tried to protect him to the extent of blocking articles even when they worked at the company?
Ding ding ding ding ding ding.
Upon hearing the sound of the door lock code being entered, Se-kyung’s head turned swiftly.
Was it already time for Tae-jo to come back? Rising slowly, she rushed to the front door to welcome him.
“They said they had a meeting with the PD. Did it go well?”
As Tae-jo entered the entrance, he lightly kissed Se-kyung’s forehead as a greeting.
“Yes. Tae-jo, you haven’t had dinner yet, right? Wash up and come out. Let’s eat together.”
After ushering Tae-jo into the bedroom, Se-kyung went to the kitchen.
She filled the plates with the side dishes Mrs. Ma had prepared, reheated the soybean paste stew she had made earlier, and as she was doing so, Tae-jo, who had finished showering, approached Se-kyung.
“Sit. I’ll take care of the rest.”
“I’m done. But more importantly, try this. I thought it would be nice to have one dish when shooting, so I made it in advance.”
“Didn’t I tell you to come and eat comfortably and rest?”
“No matter what, I can’t just sit still like a statue. Except for one fixed guest, everyone else is more senior than me. Moreover, this doesn’t require much effort.”
Se-kyung scooped some soup with a spoon and offered it to Tae-jo. After tasting it and nodding in approval, he said, “It’s delicious. I’ll take this with me.”
Tae-jo gestured for Se-kyung to sit first. As she sat down after he placed the hotpot bowl, she looked at Tae-jo intently.
“Why? Do you have something to say?”
As Tae-jo drank water and asked, Se-kyung hesitated, pursing her lips as if in contemplation. Then, after a brief moment, she coughed lightly and opened her mouth.
“Tae-jo oppa.”
“…Cough.”
With a delayed rhythm, a cough erupted from Tae-jo’s mouth. After a series of coughs, he looked at Se-kyung with a flushed face.
“What’s all of a sudden?”
“What do you mean?”
“What you just called me.”
“Tae-jo, sir?”
“Other than that.”
“…”
“You called me Tae-jo oppa.”
Let’s just overlook that. In embarrassment, Se-kyung rolled her lips and asked, “Just… I wanted to try calling you that once.”
Se-kyung awkwardly explained. Considering how Oye-ri kept calling him that, she couldn’t just let it slide. Se-kyung bit her lips in embarrassment.
“Once? You’re not going to call me that anymore?”
“Why? Do you prefer being called Tae-jo oppa over Tae-jo, sir?”
“Is there a more fluttering feeling behind the latter?”
“…”
“It’s the first time I’ve heard that.”
Se-kyung pouted her lips. Then, looking at Tae-jo’s slightly reddened neck, she burst into laughter.
“What if you keep calling me Tae-jo, and I keep getting a cough every time?”
“Today was an unexpected situation.”
“Well. Still, I’ll save this. Since you said it makes your heart flutter, I’ll use it as a secret weapon when I need something later.”
With chopsticks in hand, Se-kyung played with a rice grain. Looking at Se-kyung’s face, which seemed to be hiding somewhere, Tae-jo asked, “Did something happen during the meeting?”
Se-kyung rolled her eyes while stirring the rice. There was something bothering her since earlier…
“…”
However, she didn’t want to talk to Tae-jo about all of that. She especially disliked hearing Oye-ri’s name from him.
“No, nothing happened.”
But still, what bothered her continuously since earlier…
“There’s no way that happened. If such stories were circulating, I would have gotten married a long time ago.”
“Ah…”
Then, was that statement fabricated by Oye-ri?
“Why, who’s going around saying strange things again? After getting permission from our parents, suddenly making a marriage promise.”
As Tae-jo’s expression became serious, Se-kyung waved her hands to deny it.
“No. It’s not like that. I think I got too immersed in the dating advice program that aired earlier.”
With an excuse, Se-kyung resumed eating.
Until a moment ago, the rice didn’t taste good.
“We should order more of this rice. It’s sweet and delicious.”
Now, it seemed very delicious.
The Male lead Always Seduces Her with His Beauty (Matriarchy)
Xin Jiao Zhou is the leader of the world’s premier sect. She has just experienced betrayal from all sides, was poisoned in an assassination attempt, and faced death squad attacks while the poison was taking effect. After finally clearing out the scum from her sect, she was drugged again while trying to detoxify.
After waking up from a night of unconsciousness, she gained a “beautiful and kind-hearted” husband.
Xin Jiao Zhou: “???”
He fell ill.
She came to see him, bringing breakfast.
As she put down the breakfast and was about to leave, his hand slipped while holding the spoon. “Clank!”
She turned around upon hearing the noise.
He looked up at her, his eyebrows drooping: “My hand… has no strength.”
“Shall I… feed you?” she asked tentatively.
He opened his mouth cheerfully: “Ah—”
Thinking she was drowning, he jumped in without hesitation to save her, but nearly drowned himself. In the end, it was she who swam over to rescue him, giving him air underwater.
After emerging from the water, his ear tips turned red. He lightly brushed his cheek, tucking his sideburns behind his ear, revealing delicate, pink-tinged ear tips. He lowered his gaze, too embarrassed to look at her.
Xin Jiao Zhou: He’s truly beautiful, kind-hearted, and adorable.
A certain someone when disciplining subordinates behind the scenes: “If they don’t obey, just kill them.”
What’s that? She might already have someone she cares about in her heart? A certain someone: Find out who it is, kill them, and then there won’t be anyone.
What? She met a man by the riverside? What? That man even hurt her? A certain someone: Whichever hand hurt her, chop off his entire arm.
Love at first sight without realizing it, gradually falling in love, slowly getting closer…
Family and national grudges, schemes and desires, good and evil, crime and punishment, she and he face the future together, seeking justice with passion!
A naturally dark female lead who could accidentally destroy the world but is actually an honest person VS a weak, pitiful, and helpless but skilled fighter, beautiful white-cut black male lead
My heart is not of stone, how steadfast is your love? — Tao Yuanming “Imitating the Ancients (No. 3)”
— Reading Guide —
Cold female lead & dramatic black lotus with hidden yandere traits male lead
