To Become Family with the Male Lead (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 8
Why had Isabelle come here? Her flushed cheeks made her look unusually furious. Why was she angry? Countless thoughts raced through my mind.
Isabelle approached me and looked down with a cold, emotionless expression.
“M-Mother….”
Please, say something—anything.
Could she possibly be acting like this just to scold me?
Isabelle had scolded me before, right in front of a crowd of nobles.
It had been because she disapproved of my behavior. Back then, I’d gripped my skirt tightly, unable to utter a word—how many emotions had I been forced to suppress?
In my previous life, and in lives before that.
‘Yoon Boha!’
‘Lise!’
It had been a miserable memory.
“Lise.”
Isabelle called my name. Startled by her unusually different tone, I couldn’t open my lips.
Instinctively, I checked the item hidden in my skirt. More than fearing a scolding, I was terrified she might take away the item I’d just received from Madame Fenton.
“To be so dispirited—unlike you…”
“Yes?”
Isabelle walked past me. She stopped before Master, who stood stiff as a board. Like me, Master had been utterly deflated by Isabelle’s arrival and was only fidgeting with her hands.
“What’s going on?”
“Isn’t that Madame Marceau?”
The customers glanced briefly at Isabelle and Master. Though Isabelle usually disliked becoming gossip herself, for some reason she didn’t seem to care about their stares now.
“Master, I received a calling card from a maid—and I’ve heard what happened.”
Isabelle held out the card she’d gotten from Viti—the infamous one with the slightly smudged number 6.
“Yes, Madam. As you know, the number is smudged. Since our shop sells expensive items, even the smallest issue must be handled perfectly.”
“How odd. Even if smudged, the number is still clear enough not to cause any problem.”
“Though it appears fine on the surface… we are a store that pursues perfection, Madam.”
“You’re far too perfect. Soon you’ll refuse to hand over goods just because the paper’s slightly creased. Perhaps you should reconsider giving out two cards—I suspect you’ll need to give ten.”
Isabelle’s heavy sarcasm sent Master scrambling to bow and search for excuses—a desperate attempt not to leave a bad impression on Madame Marceau.
But Isabelle was in a foul mood. She couldn’t possibly miss Master’s empty politeness.
“How strange. No matter how I think about it, it seems Master is deliberately disrespecting our Marceau house.”
“Madam! How could I ever dare do such a thing?”
“I find it deeply insulting, Master.”
“This is truly, truly a misunderstanding, Madam.”
The atmosphere grew even more tense.
“Master, now that I hear it, that does sound odd.”
Madame Fenton’s voice cut between them. Madame Marceau and Madame Fenton locked eyes. An unusual tension hung in the air, heavier than ever.
“It’s been a while, Madame Marceau.”
“Indeed it has, Madame Fenton.”
They exchanged polite greetings. Other customers focused their attention on the two women—everyone in this part of town knew the Marceaus and Fentons were on poor terms.
“In truth, I also came here today to receive my item directly from Master. The card I handed over had several numbers smudged—Yune splashed water on it.”
“…Ah.”
“Master ought to admit her rudeness and offer a proper apology to the lady.”
At Madame Fenton’s words, Master was left speechless. The game was over. She had no more excuses.
Now, as Madame Fenton said, Master only needed to apologize to Isabelle. But seeming aggrieved, Master glanced at me before opening her mouth.
“W-Well… I admit it was my oversight, but let me explain the situation…”
“Go ahead.”
“I’ve never met the youngest Miss Marceau before, so I didn’t realize she was a young lady. I even suspected she might have come to steal something…”
Master continued.
“After all, it’s uncommon for young ladies to come pick up items themselves…”
“I often send that child on errands. She seems unaware of her place.”
At Isabelle’s single remark, Master’s expression softened slightly. She must have quickly grasped how I was treated within the Marceau household.
“So I misunderstood. I sincerely apologize.”
Master’s face looked far more relaxed as she apologized. After that tense, uncertain standoff, I was once again the one who ended up hurt.
Again. It was always me who suffered in the end.
‘So it’s me again?’
I never expected Isabelle would humiliate me like this. My hands clenched involuntarily.
They say if you endure, you become a pushover—and that’s exactly what I’d become. Nothing had truly changed from my past life to this one.
“In the future, if the young lady comes on an errand, I’ll ensure nothing like this happens again.”
“That’s only natural… I won’t be purchasing this jewel.”
“What?”
Master’s eyes widened in shock. So did mine.
That necklace was the precious item Isabelle had waited a whole week for.
“You disrespected our Marceau house—why would I want to buy anything from you?”
“Ah, but…!”
“Master, I regret to inform you that Lise is the youngest daughter of the Marceaus. If anyone is to treat her coldly, it should be me—not you. Insulting Lise is the same as insulting the Marceau house, as she is one of us.”
“M-Madam…”
“Since Master was the first to act rudely, I hope you’ll understand my whim.”
With those words, Isabelle said nothing more. Master was forced to return the payment for the item she’d just refunded.
Once the incident ended, the nobles who’d been happily browsing jewels quietly slipped out of the shop. The once-bustling store stood empty—only a few women waiting for their purchases remained, along with Madame Fenton and Yune, who kept watching us.
I silently watched Isabelle take the money from Master. I still felt dazed.
“Lise, what are you standing there for like a fool?”
“Oh! Y-Yes!”
Without looking back, Isabelle stepped out of the jewelry shop.
After offering a brief bow to Madame Fenton and Yune, I hurried after Isabelle, who was waiting outside.
“…Are you really sure it’s fine not to buy the jewel?”
“What?”
“It was something you wanted, wasn’t it?”
When I asked, Isabelle opened her lips as if unsettled, then closed them again.
“And you?”
“Yes?”
“Why did you stay silent?”
“…It’s something I’m used to. It didn’t seem right to cause a scene.”
Isabelle stepped closer to me.
“You should learn to read situations better—even back at the estate. Don’t act like that outside unnecessarily.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
“First, we must do something about your outfit. However much it’s an errand, dressing so plainly isn’t befitting a noble’s child.”
“It’s comfortable, though.”
“That’s exactly why you’re being ignored. This won’t do. Since we’re already at the market today, I’ll buy you a new dress.”
“…Mother will choose it herself?”
Isabelle had never personally picked out a dress for me before.
“The maids’ choices never please me.”
“I already have a dress Father bought me the other day.”
“The Count has no eye for dresses. It’s surely some garish, unsuitable color that clashes with you. Lise, bright colors don’t suit you—and neither do lace trims.”
Was the world ending tomorrow? Everything about Isabelle’s behavior and words today felt utterly unfamiliar.
“There it is.”
Isabelle spotted her approaching carriage and spoke. Only then did I realize she’d walked all the way down the hill instead of riding.
Dirt clung thickly to the heels of her shoes.
“What are you waiting for? Hurry up and get in.”
I suppose even a day like this happens once in a lifetime.
I quickly climbed into the carriage.
[This is the timeline separator]
Isabelle has changed.
It was different from the past, when she’d ignored me. After the jewelry shop incident, she constantly interfered with my clothing choices.
If my outfit looked even slightly shabby, she’d deliberately send me back to my room and pick out a new dress for me. Once, she even gave me jewelry, saying my neck and arms looked too plain.
I pondered Isabelle’s sudden change and its possible reason.
‘Could it be because, despite being an out-of-wedlock child, I’m still a Marceau?’
Had she realized through this incident that my image affects the Marceau family’s reputation?
In any case, she truly was as capricious as she claimed. She’d also reduced the errands she gave me—now, if she did assign any, it was only feeding the horses or watering the garden.
“But what should I do about this?”
Isabelle was Isabelle, but there was something else troubling me even more. I stared at the wrapped box—the one containing the rabbit-adorned clasp Madame Fenton had given me.
First a handkerchief, and now an expensive gift? To deliver it, I needed to meet Yurick on his birthday, but that wouldn’t be easy. Since my errands had decreased, I rarely left the estate anymore.
“Lise!”
I heard Isabelle’s voice. I hastily shoved the wrapped box into a drawer and pulled out a book. Right on cue, Isabelle entered the room.
“What are you doing?”
“…I was reading a book.”
“How many minutes have you read today?”
“Um… about thirty minutes, maybe?”
Isabelle paused briefly in thought, then stepped fully into the room.
“There’s a marchioness I’ve been close to for a long time. She’s invited me to her estate this time.”
“Is that so?”
“There’s a boy there your age. They say he’s quite handsome.”
“Y-Yes….”
“I’m taking you with me.”
“What?”
I nearly dropped the book I was holding. She usually took Swell or Silke, didn’t she?
“Among the dresses I bought you last time, there was one that wasn’t too bad—the navy blue one, remember?”
“….”
“Lise.”
“Yes! Yes, I do have that dress.”
“You’ll wear that one.”
“When are we going?”
“Three days from now.”
I was stunned at the words “three days from now.”
That day happened to be none other than Yurick Fenton’s birthday. Could Isabelle possibly have noticed the gift’s existence? She was practically a monster with eyes in the back of her head—it was entirely possible.
“What time are we leaving and returning?”
“What does that matter? Planning to stay in your room reading again?”
“No!”
“We’ll leave early and return before nightfall. I have a great deal to discuss with her.”
“Do I really have to go?”
“It wouldn’t hurt to get acquainted with the marchioness’s son while we’re at it, would it?”
Oh no—this was disastrous!
“I’ve said it, so keep it in mind. Understood?”
I couldn’t fathom Isabelle’s thoughts at all.
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]
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MANGA DISCUSSION
1 Comment
Chapter Comments (67)
Well done, good child! How sweet of him to say he can’t lie, but I think he just loves our dear Liz 🤭💗
Oh, poor Liz and Roger! How awful Isabel is, trying to belittle Liz’s personality. I hope Liz grows strong and refuses to be treated this way.
- What is this? Liz is still too young to be engaged at this age, just to restrict her and prevent her from expressing her personality. Poor Liz.
Inline Comments (28)
“You do like it, right? Characters shaped like this—I actually do too.”
Oh, how sweet they are! Our dear Liz charmed Yurik with her sweetness 🤭💗
He said it shyly, but his sincerity touched me so deeply I wanted to give him mo
Omg omg. They are so cute. I am gonna die from sweetness 🤧
Duke Fenton stared at his son as if seeing a stranger. Then, finally, Madame Fen
Hahaha, Duke’s situation is so funny! Everyone is in love with our little Liz.
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Miioo
Oh, that evil woman never changes. She’s clearly plotting something against Liz. I just hope our dear Liz doesn’t get hurt.