It had been two months since Lea stayed at the Belarus Duke’s mansion. Based on the advice she received from Frankin, Lea devoted her time to developing the cure.
“The concentration you mentioned, Doctor, seems to be correct.”
Lea smiled, looking at the cure in the test tube. Although it was the mixture the doctor had illustrated, developing the cure was not as easy as she had thought.
“Did I miss something?”
Lea, putting down the test tube, looked away from the mixture. She sighed, seeing nothing apparent to be a problem.
Whether it was the mixture or her restless mind, she wasn’t sure.
It had been two months since Akiya left for the capital. He hadn’t responded to any of the letters Lea sent.
Did he forget that she remained in the Belarus Duke’s territory, or was it something else?
“Maybe he has no intention of calling me.”
As emotions surged again with Akiya’s thoughts, Lea shook her head this time. The problem wouldn’t be solved by worrying.
Just as she was about to concentrate on the cure development again, she felt someone approaching her desk from behind.
The research lab in the mansion was a space arranged by Dmitry for Lea. Since servants didn’t come in, Lea naturally assumed that the person who came to her was Dmitry.
“You’re here? Please wait for a moment. The mixture is almost finished.”
At the moment Lea, thinking it was Dmitry who came for a visit, briskly moved her hands while preparing the mixture.
A faint musky scent brushed her nose, and someone picked up the paper placed nearby. Surprisingly, it wasn’t Dmitry who owned the scent.
‘Who is it?’
When Lea turned around, short strands of silver hair fluttering in the air caught her eyes.
Dazzling blue eyes seen between half-closed eyelids, as if staring at the mixture. It was a man she had never seen before.
“Hmm. The mixture is fascinating, but it might be better to change the concentration of two herbs rather than this.”
“…?”
Lea blinked her eyes. The research lab was not a place for a stranger to visit. When the man saw that Lea had no response, he raised his gaze this time.
“I mean this mixture. By the way, may I ask, young lady, did you use the venom of a widow spider?”
The man alternated between the mixture and the test tube, finding something interesting. Lea’s eyes widened.
He had noticed that she had used the venom of a widow spider just by looking at the mixture and the blended medicine, something even with decent knowledge of herbalism wouldn’t be able to discern.
“How did you… Who are you, by the way?”
As she asked, Lea’s gaze scanned the man’s face and clothes. His refined appearance, with neatly arranged cuffs and an unwrinkled doublet jacket, revealed his noble status.
‘He can’t be a new servant.’
Belarus Duke’s guest, perhaps. The man prepared to introduce himself when Lea looked at him from head to toe.
“Oh, my apologies. I got carried away. I’m…”
Before he could complete his self-introduction, shuffling footsteps approached. Dmitry, half-opening the door, entered the room.
“Ah, they’ve already met.”
Smiling alternately at Lea and the man standing, Dmitry casually laughed.
“Say hello, Lea. He is Edward, the Earl of Allensia, and also my young friend’s grandson.”
“He has majored in herbalism at the Royal Academy.”
“The Royal Academy?”
“Yes. Although he’ll be leaving for Bellicalka tomorrow, I thought Edward could stay at the mansion for a while and help you.”
Lea’s surprised gaze met Edward’s.
It seemed that Dmitry had called Edward to help Lea, who was dedicated to her research.
When we talk about the Royal Academy, isn’t it the place that produces medical specialists for the empire? Moreover, he mentioned taking on medical consultations.
For Lea, who was struggling with slow progress in developing the cure these days, Edward was like an oasis.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Edward Allensia, the grandson of the Belarus Duke.”
Approaching Lea with a step, Edward greeted her politely and kissed the back of her hand.
After the introductions of Edward Allensia, the dinner time arrived.
Despite the special request from Dmitry for a dinner prepared with specialties from the northern region, Lea couldn’t manage to eat anything.
Lea, pushing the food back and forth, eventually put down her fork. Her body felt warm, as if she had a fever, but at the same time, she felt sluggish.
‘Why is my body like this?’
At that moment, when she was thinking about the unusual symptoms, Dmitry spoke.
“Lea, your complexion doesn’t look good. Is there something uncomfortable?”
As she raised her head at the voice, Dmitry looked at her with a concerned gaze. It seemed that he sensed her condition wasn’t good.
Turning away from Dmitry, Lea noticed Edward sitting next to her. He also had a worried expression, as much as the Duke.
Even though it was a carefully arranged dining place for a guest who had come to the mansion after a long time, Lea smiled brightly at both of them, not wanting to ruin the atmosphere.
When male lead is the homewrecker
“I know she doesn’t love him.”
I’ve read the novel below twice already. Girls, I’m highly recommending it to you!
The female lead? Not a good person.
The second male lead? Not a good person.
The male lead? Willingly plays the third party, breaking up the female and second male lead’s relationship despite all the warnings from his friends—so yeah, he’s definitely not a good person either.
Basically, nobody in this novel is simple-minded or without scheming.
The female lead starts off as the male lead’s secretary, but don’t worry—later on, she takes over the company while the male lead steps back to support her. He won’t steal her spotlight, overshadow her, or dull her shine.
I love novels where men are out here snatching wigs, tearing each other down, and going to war just to win the female lead’s affection. And this is exactly that kind of novel. Most of Hai Dai Ran’s works have this dynamic. You’ll see the male characters’ emotions being pushed to the absolute extreme.
There’s even a scene where the second male lead exposes the male lead online for being a homewrecker. The brotherhood immediately gangs up on him, dragging him through the mud. I find it compelling —it completely flips reality on its head, where usually, women are the ones fighting over a man and getting torn apart by the sisterhood.
For me, female leads in the novels I read should only struggle in their careers, not in love. But if the brainless romantics in the story are all men? I have zero complaints.
I’ve pretty much read all of Hai Dai Ran’s novels and even translated all of them—her works are just my thing. I’ll slowly upload everything here. One day, when my website is official, I hope I can invite her to join as one of the star authors.
Here’s the story synopsis:
One-line summary: She is his lifelong obsession, to the point where he was willing to be a third wheel, scorned by society, just to wedge his way into her relationship with her fiancé.
Cold-hearted and indifferent female lead + Scheming and subservient CEO male lead
Intro 1:
“I know she doesn’t love him.”
With blood trickling from his clenched fist, Rong Xiu gazed at the woman before him, his eyes clouded with anguish. Hidden in the wardrobe, he had witnessed Fan Xia – the woman he desperately loved – in an intimate embrace with her fiancé. Yet his heart still yearned for her, defying all reason.
Fan Xia, the elegant and composed assistant, carried something mysterious in her eyes whenever she looked at her fiancé, Wen Lan Sheng. Strange occurrences began to surface – secret meetings with the young Gu Jin Yi, an unexplained withdrawal of 5,000 yuan… Then suddenly, her fiancé’s sister, Wen Jing, violently attacked her.
In this matriarchal society, Rong Xiu had risen to become the chairman of a powerful healthcare conglomerate, breaking through gender prejudices. But for the first time, he willingly stepped into the shadows as the other man, disregarding his friends’ warnings to become her secret lover.
Because he had discovered the truth – Fan Xia wasn’t the pure angel everyone believed her to be. And perhaps, he was the only one capable of helping her execute her mysterious plan…
Intro 2:
Rong Xiu’s biggest regret in life was missing out on Fan Xia.
He secretly loved Fan Xia for 7 years.
Watched her go public with her boyfriend.
Watched her kiss her boyfriend at their wedding.
Until that man blissfully nestled in Fan Xia’s arms, obtaining everything he could only dream of.
The crazy jealousy stripped away his hidden secret love, layer by layer, burning like wildfire.
Fan Xia, how can I have you!
【Reading and Trigger Warning Guide】
1. Female dominant, male submissive, male pregnancy
2. Male lead schemes his way to the top, male competition
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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.
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