The Season of Prettiest You (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 8
“Sure. I’ll come to your place.”
It was a moment with no reason to refuse. Taeseok, who had been considering calling Manager Hong out for a drink, immediately accepted Ji Hyeonjeong’s offer.
He irritably pulled out the car keys and stepped out of the house. He could just call his youngest manager to drive later—he just needed to do something about this mood first.
Taeseok pulled out of the underground parking lot a bit roughly, checked both sides, and turned right.
Although going left would’ve been faster to reach Ji Hyeonjeong’s place, two cars seemed to be arguing there, probably due to an accident. He’d chosen a quieter route, planning to take a slight detour—but that turned out to be the problem.
Choi Yeoreum was sitting at the bus stop.
Of all places.
And of all times, the traffic light turned red right in front of him. What a coincidence.
Taeseok’s long, straight fingers tapped lightly on the steering wheel. Then, he quietly stared across four lanes at the woman sitting directly ahead.
When the bus approached, she briefly lifted her head, then looked back down at the ground again. She just sat there. Her posture looked like a sigh.
Taeseok stroked his jaw as he observed her. It felt uncomfortable and strange. He couldn’t quite define the sensation boiling inside his lower abdomen.
She still looked as if a light tap might send her flying, or a gentle shake would make tears spill from her eyes. That exact vulnerability infuriated Taeseok.
Weren’t women who ruined a man’s life and ran off with his money usually bolder and flashier? Images of designer bags, shoes, and jewelry flashed through his mind—but today, Choi Yeoreum had come carrying only an eco bag.
She wore only a thin dress, without a single bracelet or ring, sat quietly breathing, then got up and went to sit over there—to catch a bus. Her behavior was so wildly different from what he’d expected that Taeseok was utterly dumbfounded.
When the light turned green, he hit the accelerator. Taeseok deliberately erased the image of her lingering in the back of his mind.
“You’re here?”
Ji Hyeonjeong’s home was always glamorous, no matter when he visited. The marble art wall and gold-colored furniture and décor were as luxurious as she was.
A dazzlingly extravagant crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling, and expensive paintings worth tens of millions of won adorned the walls. The red sofa in the center of the living room was a masterpiece crafted by a renowned domestic artisan.
Taeseok sat down naturally and accepted a glass of wine.
“Your place just keeps getting better, Nuna.”
“All houses are basically the same. What were you doing?”
“I saw Choi Yeoreum.”
Ji Hyeonjeong, who had been preparing a salad, paused briefly. This wasn’t good.
She’d removed that girl precisely to avoid feeling this way, yet the exact same thing was happening again like a broken record. She shouldn’t have just asked her to hide for a year—she should’ve demanded she never come back to Seoul at all. She’d been far too careless back then.
She forced her voice to sound cheerful.
“Did you go to the production company’s office?”
“No. She called me to her place.”
He hadn’t anticipated that Choi Yeoreum’s unremarkable life would suddenly start going so smoothly. How difficult was it to debut as a drama writer? Yet she’d slipped through that needle’s eye in just one year. That was where things had started going wrong.
Even Ji Hyeonjeong rarely visited Taeseok’s home. He strongly disliked outside visitors, allowing only essential managers and stylists inside.
He’d always been the one to visit Ji Hyeonjeong. The fact that Choi Yeoreum had so casually entered his house made his nerves stand on edge.
Ji Hyeonjeong set the salad on the table and sat close beside Taeseok.
Taeseok immediately shifted slightly, creating more space between them before sitting back down.
“I feel disgusted.”
Could she have noticed she’d sat a bit too close on purpose? Ji Hyeonjeong was slowly pouring wine into her glass, but Taeseok’s sharp reaction made her whole body flinch. Despite always acting composed, she was actually always on edge about Taeseok’s mood.
“About what?”
“Choi Yeoreum. She really knows how to ruin someone’s mood.”
Taeseok spoke as if the physical distance between them didn’t matter at all.
Their crystal glasses clinked lightly. Red wine flowed into his mouth. Ji Hyeonjeong waited for his next words. It felt too quiet, so she softly turned on some classical music. The room instantly felt more elegant.
“If you’re going to do something like that and then leave, at the very least you should pretend to feel sorry. That’s what a decent human being would do.”
His voice was laced with sharp irritation.
“Where did she spend all the money she took? And why’s she walking around like that? I get that she never cared much for bags, so fine on that, but she always loved shoes. So why?”
Taeseok downed two glasses of wine in quick succession and muttered a quiet curse.
“…Did she mention taking the money?”
Ji Hyeonjeong forgot to even put on a fake smile and instead furrowed her brow. Just now, she’d realized she was dangerously close to being exposed.
All the rather reckless schemes she’d fabricated had been based on one assumption: that Seo Taeseok and Choi Yeoreum would never meet again and unravel the past piece by piece.
If, by any chance, they’d actually discussed it, everything would be over.
“No. Why would I bring up money? I have some pride, you know.”
Though she sighed inwardly in relief at Taeseok’s answer, her anxiety didn’t fade.
This was exactly why she’d opposed it so strongly from the beginning. She’d been uneasy on so many levels. Although writers and actors didn’t usually meet often, you never knew with people—you’d definitely need to do something about it. Ji Hyeonjeong’s eyes darted around as she weighed her options.
Lost in thought, she’d sipped quite a bit of wine.
“Hey, Nuna, drink moderately.”
By the time Taeseok finally stopped her, the small sea inside her wine glass was rocking restlessly. Taeseok took the glass from her and placed it firmly on the table.
“Seo Taeseok is my discovered gemstone.”
“You’re really drunk. Don’t do that routine again.”
Taeseok gently shook Ji Hyeonjeong’s shoulder to help her snap out of it.
‘Why is Nuna so drunk? I was the one who wanted to get drunk.’
As Ji Hyeonjeong’s posture tilted to one side, her cardigan slipped off, revealing her slip underneath. Taeseok pulled the garment back up for her.
“You’re right. I drank a lot. I’ll go to the bathroom for a bit.”
Taeseok glanced outside. The wide floor-to-ceiling window reflected the street below. Bright lights blinked busily, scattering in all directions.
Countless cars and buildings. Everyone living in that world knew who he was. Men admired Seo Taeseok, and women adored him. Almost all of them did.
He slowly swallowed a sip of wine, letting it slide down his throat.
Amid this glittering night, there was one woman who’d left him, saying she hated him.
He wondered if that woman he’d seen at the bus stop had managed to get on the bus all right. Whether there was a direct bus or if she’d had to transfer to another bus or the subway somewhere along the way. And where her destination might have been.
He didn’t even know where she lived anymore.
Ji Hyeonjeong returned shortly but didn’t notice Taeseok, lost in thought.
“What are you thinking about?”
“Nothing much.”
He’d been thinking about what his beautiful little prey was doing now. Her name had been trending on portal sites, so she must’ve felt quite overwhelmed. He wanted to ask if she was all right—but couldn’t.
“Nuna, let’s call it a night. I should go too.”
“Okay. But hug me once before you leave.”
“You always do this when you’re drunk. Are you sexually frustrated or something? Just get yourself a boyfriend.”
Though grumbling, Taeseok pulled her shoulder gently into a brief hug before letting go. Ji Hyeonjeong gave a small laugh and leaned back against the sofa.
As usual, cleanup fell to Taeseok. After washing the dishes, glasses, and wine bottle, and wiping down the table, he found Ji Hyeonjeong already asleep.
Taeseok sighed briefly, then picked her up and carried her to the bedroom.
He set her down with eyes utterly free of ulterior motives.
The man’s expression as he laid the disheveled woman on the bed was strikingly indifferent. He kindly covered her with a blanket, adjusted the lighting, even plugged her phone into the charger, then stepped outside.
Ever since her divorce a few years ago, Ji Hyeonjeong’s loneliness had grown significantly. She often sought out Taeseok for drinks and frequently got drunk.
Because she felt like an older sister to him, he’d tried his best to accommodate her—but lately, he’d started thinking she needed to find a stable life for herself.
‘Getting back together with Mincheol-hyung would probably be the best plan.’
Shin Mincheol had been co-CEO of HJ Entertainment, but after the divorce, the company had split, and he was now head of Poo Entertainment.
His agency’s top artist was Cheon Ji Hyeok. Come to think of it, Cheon Ji Hyeok was the male lead in this drama, . It looked like they’d be entangled in many ways. With that thought, Taeseok headed home.
“Hyung Taeseok, you’re bad luck.”
For the third day in a row, Ji Hyeok repeated the same words. Representative Shin Mincheol gave a wry smile. It seemed Ji Hyeok’s pride had taken quite a hit after Seo Taeseok crashed the production announcement event.
“When the director said they’d added another lead, you should’ve asked who the co-star was. If I’d known it was Seo Taeseok, I never would’ve agreed.”
With the whole world talking only about Seo Taeseok, it was understandable that he was angry. Shin Mincheol tried to soothe him with a serious look.
“I know. That must’ve hurt. But it’s already decided—what can we do?”
“Wait, is that really what a CEO should say?”
He thought he’d offered proper consolation, but apparently not. Shin Mincheol gave an awkward smile.
“Why does it have to be Hyung Taeseok? I really can’t stand him.”
“I remember you actually liked Taeseok quite a bit back when we were both at HJ Entertainment.”
When Shin Mincheol took one-third of the company with him after the divorce, Cheon Ji Hyeok was the only artist he brought along.
Well, ‘brought’ wasn’t quite right—it was more that Ji Hyeok had begged to come with him. Shin Mincheol had thought Ji Hyeok would thrive more at a bigger agency, but Ji Hyeok had disagreed.
“You cast me, so you’re responsible for me till the end!”
Since then, the two had become as close as friends. While Ji Hyeonjeong and Seo Taeseok’s friendship was famous in the industry, Shin Mincheol believed his bond with Cheon Ji Hyeok was just as strong—though less known.
“I liked him when I was younger. But I started hating him after seeing how easily he treats women.”
“Taeseok did go through a brief phase like that. It was just a phase—he’s not like that anymore.”
Ji Hyeok’s expression hardened.
“Hyung, I believe people don’t change. He’ll eventually ruin himself as punishment for making woman after woman cry.”
“If that happens, I’ll bring a mat to sit on.”
“And he treats Nuna Yeoreum so carelessly. You should’ve seen her eyes that day as they dragged her into the waiting room. What kind of way is that to treat a writer?”
Anger seeped into Ji Hyeok’s tone. Shin Mincheol looked at him in surprise. He realized the earlier complaints were just excuses—the real reason Ji Hyeok was angry was because of how Choi Yeoreum had been treated.
“Hey, do you like Writer Choi Yeoreum?”
“…”
“Just tell me! Ah, young love. Give me some gossip.”
“Stop joking around. Aren’t you the one who’s supposed to discourage actors from dating?”
Shin Mincheol chuckled.
“No, I’m all for it. Go ahead and fall in love. I’ll enjoy it vicariously.”
Male lead Asks for a Divorce Every Day
It’s not often you come across a plot like this in the female-dominant genre — make sure to check it out!
This is a novel I’m planning to reread as well.
The male lead is strong, skilled in martial arts, and not the usual fragile type you often see in matriarchal novels.
Meanwhile, the female lead is a scientist—rational and logical. Even when she falls for the male lead, she doesn’t let her emotions cloud her decisions.
If you push through the first few chapters, you’ll gradually find the story really intriguing.
It has a mix of mystery, detective elements, and romance.
The author’s writing style is like crafting a puzzle—except they deliberately leave out a few pieces, making it hard to predict what happens next, yet keeping you hooked.
In the end, everything will come together and be explained.
One-sentence summary: Wife, stop playing with beakers and look at me!
In a laboratory accident, research scientist Zhu Wansheng accidentally travels to a matriarchal world. The original owner of the body is an eighteen-year-old only daughter of a wealthy rouge merchant, already married with a handsome young man.
Zhu Wansheng grins: Nice! She always said she was heaven’s favorite granddaughter. After a life of toil in her previous life, she can enjoy blessings in this one.
However, her joy lasts no more than three seconds as bad news arrives: the original owner’s family is about to go bankrupt, and her husband wants a divorce.
Even worse, she’s stuck with a research system full of restrictions.
Zhu Wansheng: ? Is this the destiny of a research dog?
——
Faced with this mess, Zhu Wansheng pours herself a bowl of wine to drown her sorrows. In her drunken haze, her husband arrives.
His figure is imposing, holding a long sword, with a dignified air that captivates Zhu Wansheng.
Gu Yingqing, however, looks at the alcohol-reeking Zhu Wansheng with undisguised disgust and coldly asks, “Divorce or not?” The intoxicated Zhu Wansheng mumbles vaguely, “I think… it’s not… it’s not… impossible!”
——
The next day, after sobering up, Zhu Wansheng is full of energy, rolling up her sleeves ready to make a big move. As for yesterday? She has no memory of it.
Zhu Wansheng is ambitious; a research dog fears nothing!
Upgrading rouge, extracting fragrances, producing perfumes, researching lipsticks… all shall bow to the power of modern technology!
The original owner’s dying rouge shop is revitalized. Her mother is pleased and with a wave of her hand, passes on the family business to her. As she takes control and her experimental results gain popularity, it’s the pinnacle of her life…
——
But there are always those who can’t stand to see her doing well. Jealousy, scheming, assassination attempts – they want nothing less than her life.
The person who has always kept his distance from her suddenly holds her tightly in his arms, eyes full of concern.
She is unharmed, but he falls into a pool of blood…
Zhu Wansheng feels guilty, “I can grant you one wish.”
Gu Yingqing tentatively circles his arms around her, carefully resting his head in the crook of her neck, pleading softly, “I regret it. Can we not divorce?”
Zhu Wansheng: ? When did I agree to a divorce?
[Small Theater]
The newly developed rouge is beautifully packaged, and Zhu Wansheng is eager to try it.
Gu Yingqing suddenly appears: “My lady, may I apply it for you?”
Cool fingertips lightly brush her lips. His Adam’s apple bobs as he leans in for a light bite.
Zhu Wansheng: ?
Gu Yingqing: It smells so good, I wanted to taste it…
On a warm spring day, Zhu Wansheng tries a new perfume: “Spring Night.” Gu Yingqing corners her against a wall.
Warm breath lingers on her neck.
“My lady, from now on, may I test the fragrances for you?”
[Humorous female scientist vs scheming live-in son-in-law male lead]
[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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