It was Edan, just as usual.
Everything was the same—except for his neatly pressed tunic shirt, now severely wrinkled.
His fine blond hair, his eyes that gleamed more vividly in dim light, his gait—elegant yet arrogantly confident.
“I’m not going to do anything.”
Edan stepped forward with unhurried ease, stopping right in front of me.
Then, with a swift glance toward the collapsed wall, he reached out and cupped my face—so naturally, I barely sensed any awkwardness.
His warmth seeped through our touching skin, making me widen my eyes. Edan smiled gently.
“Were you thinking of running away again?”
His large hand lifted my chin, yet exerted no force at all.
Instead, his touch felt softer than ever—so gentle, it was almost soothing.
“I wasn’t thinking that.”
“Why not? You should.”
Edan replied dryly, scrutinizing my face with sharp eyes as he slowly tilted his head side to side.
Normally, I’d immediately tell him to let go—but I knew words were useless when Edan wore this expression.
Besides, I couldn’t possibly push him off by force anyway.
“So you’re going to threaten me again.”
Edan, who had been intently examining my face—perhaps worried I’d sustained some unseen injury—paused at my delayed response. His gaze, previously fixed on my right cheek, shifted to meet my eyes.
Though I’d obediently stayed still, my expression remained serious. Yet, for some reason, he let out a soft chuckle.
“I won’t threaten you.”
“You’re lying.”
You do it every day.
“Yeah. I’m lying. Okay, examination’s over. No wounds.”
Edan smiled, eyes curving warmly, then released my chin. And added:
“No matter where you run, you’ll end up caught by me anyway. So don’t even dream of escaping.”
I knew he’d say something like that. His words—perhaps not even a joke—suddenly triggered a flood of memories, flashing through my mind like a panorama.
Ruben knowing me. Him summoning me for breakfast. His perfectly timed appearance when Hillstain Mathias tried to take me away.
All those past days now seemed suspicious, bizarre beyond reason.
What if Edan had known all along—not pepper, but my healing power—was what eased his headaches?
What if he’d been watching me this entire time…?
‘Everything he’s done, every attitude he’s shown me—it all fits together too perfectly.’
I stared fixedly at Edan.
“Master, I’ll apologize.”
Edan, standing slanted with hands in his pockets, froze.
“For what?”
“I actually lied to you.”
Edan’s lips twisted slightly sideways, his head tilting a fraction.
One eye narrowed slightly—as if asking what scheme I was plotting—he looked down at me with an idle gaze.
“About what, exactly?”
“It wasn’t pepper.”
“…….”
“Actually, I… was a Holy Maiden candidate meant to go to the temple.”
Edan said nothing.
“It wasn’t pepper. I infused my healing power into your breakfast—it was that effect.”
As I spoke, I stared straight into Edan’s eyes without blinking—not even once. There was no more escape. First, I needed to understand why he acted this way toward me—and how much he already knew.
“Really?”
Though a brief awkward tension passed, Edan soon replied as calmly as ever.
Seeing him slip his hands back into his pockets, I became certain.
‘As I thought. He already knew.’
He wouldn’t react this way if he hadn’t. Edan showed no surprise, no confusion whatsoever.
This wasn’t just any power.
It was the very power that, since my awakening, had soothed the lifelong agony inflicted by my ability.
Even if it were Edan—if I confessed I was a Holy Maiden candidate and had used my power on him—he should’ve shown at least a flicker of shock. But Edan acted as if my confession meant nothing.
I continued speaking to him.
“The last time you came back badly injured—I was the one who healed you.”
Edan chuckled softly, as if this revelation held no novelty.
“Oh? Then now that you’ve finally confessed honestly, shouldn’t you give me some reward for saving me?”
His words lit a bulb in my mind.
“You’ll give it?”
“Didn’t you just say you’d give it? You confessed on your own after lying about pepper all this time.”
“Then you’ll grant it?”
“I’ll think about it.”
The fact that Edan knew about my healing power yet pretended ignorance was shocking enough—but I could use this.
I took a breath, briefly pondering how to begin.
My relationship with Ivy…
At the very least, I needed to reveal what Hillstain Mathias already knew. Edan could easily uncover that much himself, even if I didn’t say it.
“Ivy Violet and I grew up together in the same orphanage. And last time Lord Hillstain Mathias came… Ivy said she was looking for me.”
Edan, who had been casually tilting his head and pulling his hand from his pocket, paused—as if waiting for me to continue.
I swallowed hard.
“Help me meet Ivy.”
Edan, on poor terms with the Crown Prince, couldn’t enter the temple now—that’s why he’d received potions as imperial gifts. Ivy, bound by royal decree, couldn’t leave the temple without permission, and Edan couldn’t enter.
I knew the situation was unfavorable.
But Edan was the only person I could cling to and beg.
Edan… if he wished, he could approach Ivy anytime. He surely had sufficient means.
If escape was impossible now, I had to confront Ivy—the source of all these troubles—and end it. I had to beg her to stop searching for me.
“I have one question.”
“Yes?”
Edan abruptly changed the conversation’s flow, pulling something from his pocket and slowly stepping toward me.
“A Holy Maiden candidate, meant to be at the temple, came all the way to an eastern rural village and got a job—that means you ran away.”
“…….”
“Why did you run?”
“That’s…”
As I hesitated, Edan clicked open the object in his hand.
Glancing instinctively, I saw—it was the lip balm he’d applied to me that morning.
Wait. He kept that in his pocket? Why? Was he planning to apply it to me again?
I flinched backward a step.
Edan, indifferent to my reaction, stepped forward—not just matching my retreat, but advancing even further.
“I hear Holy Maiden candidates receive quite a reward if they go to the temple. So there must be a reason you fled instead of going.”
“That’s…”
“If you took a job in my castle, you must’ve needed money. But wouldn’t living as a Holy Maiden be easier than working as a maid?”
“Wait, hold on—ah!”
While speaking, Edan casually grabbed my chin again and began spreading the balm over my lips.
His words and actions were as rough as ever—so why did his touch feel so gentle against my skin?
Contrary to his cynical expression, Edan’s fingers traced my lips slowly.
Though gentle, his fingertips—calloused from gripping swords—brushed roughly across my lips for an instant. The raw sensation made me squeeze my eyes shut.
“Latieana. Open your eyes.”
No! Making eye contact this close is way too awkward!
“Open them.”
But I opened them immediately—Edan’s voice had dropped low and serious.
I snapped my eyes open, locked gazes for about 0.1 seconds, then quickly rolled my eyes sideways.
Only now did I remember again—last night, Edan had made outrageous noises.
Until now, I’d always escaped somehow, using the excuse that I had a fiancé.
But now I realized—I didn’t have a fiancé anymore. Technically, it had been a fraud from the start.
“Let go now, please?”
“I don’t want to.”
“I told you this morning—it doesn’t hurt. Not at all.”
“Do you only apply medicine when it hurts?”
What? What nonsense is this! Since when do you apply medicine only when it hurts?
I stared at Edan with an incredulous expression.
“I apply it because I want to.”
Edan smirked, amused, lifting one corner of his lips, then pressed his fingertip firmly against my lips.
“So, why did you run away?”
Strange.
Edan kept firing questions, yet his gaze showed no curiosity—as if he already knew the answers.
Rather, his questions felt like he was verifying something.
“…Because the temple is scary.”
“Why?”
Edan casually shoved the balm back into his pocket and waited calmly for my answer.
“Because… if I go, I’ll die.”
I expected him to be shocked—but again, Edan remained composed.
“How do you know? That Holy Maiden candidates die if they go to the temple.”
I pressed my lips tightly shut.
Did Edan know too? Well, someone like him might. But he couldn’t possibly know about turning into a mummy.
That was an absolute secret.
The temple’s worst secret, hidden from all Imperial citizens.
If this secret leaked, no one would ever go to the temple again.
Even those with healing powers wouldn’t sacrifice their lives unless driven mad by money.
I had no way to explain to Edan how I knew such a secret.
“The High Priestess can’t leave the temple. To meet her, you’d have to go there—you know that, right?”
“I know.”
I nodded.
“I’m not really eager to help you meet her.”
No! I jerked my head up sharply.
“Why?”
“Because you’ll die if you go?”
True—but how dare he use my own words against me!
“Didn’t I tell you? Since you arrived, my headaches disappeared.”
“…You did.”
“Though I thought it was pepper.”
“…….”
I scowled at Edan, who spoke teasingly. He knew all along.
“Did your mind change now? Or… are you prepared to die?”
“I don’t plan to die.”
I want to live. That’s why I’ll go. I have no other choice.
Either die from exhaustion after using up my healing power, or get dragged to the temple and die as a mummy, or burn to death!
No matter which future I imagine, death is all that remains for me! And among them, the most hopeful path is meeting Ivy.
Jenald Johan’s incident made me realize clearly—I can’t trust others so easily anymore. I won’t be victimized again.
“I absolutely must meet Ivy.”
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.]
