Even though she understood it in her head, Arin somehow wanted to go to college.
Kyungsook drew the line, saying she couldn’t give a penny.
Fortunately, Arin was able to receive a scholarship. The problem was the living expenses. Moreover, Kyungsook said,
“You should naturally earn and spend your living expenses. But since you did as you pleased without considering the family’s circumstances, contribute to the household expenses as well. Got it? That’s the condition for you to go to college.”
After school, Arin worked part-time until dawn, and on weekends, she worked two shifts. She handed over the remaining amount after deducting transportation and food expenses to Kyungsook. However, Kyungsook never once said thank you.
“Now that I think about it, she didn’t like me going to a better college than her own children.”
She dropped out of the university she managed to enter due to marriage.
I wonder if there was a grudge from that time?
As time passed, I wanted to study freely first.
The dream of going to Canada for language study was a secret she had not told anyone.
Jaehyuk extended a black card to Arin. Seeing the familiar card, her mood sank.
“I don’t need it.”
Without realizing it, her voice came out coldly.
“I want to give it to you. I want to support Arin’s dreams…”
Like déjà vu, memories of their past married life came to mind.
“Take it.”
Whenever she wasn’t feeling well, he would say, giving her an unlimited black card.
“Cool your head a bit.”
“I don’t need it.”
“Cool your head first. And after shopping, let’s talk again. Don’t drag it out. I’m busy, so let’s talk later.”
Cold glares, sharp words, and a voice filled with irritation echoed in her mind.
In a situation similar to before, she was saying different things, but she was trapped in negative thoughts from back then.
“Come to think of it, Mr. Ban Jaehyuk used to give me the card whenever I wasn’t feeling well.”
Arin said, looking at the black card.
“Ah…”
He belatedly recalled the things he had done to her.
Why did he do that?
Instead of asking if she was okay, what was the reason for giving her the card?
After a short moment of contemplation, he provided an answer.
“I didn’t know how to comfort.”
“…Was that comforting?”
“Foolishly.”
He regretted it. Because of his clumsy and lacking self, he ended up hurting her more.
If he could, he wanted to go back to that time.
“I wanted to comfort.”
With a voice full of regret, he said.
“It’s not very admirable to comfort in that way.”
Arin’s words made Jaehyuk neither laugh nor cry, showing a strange expression. It was indeed a fact that she had received wounds in the wrong way, but it was just a clumsy expression. So, she didn’t want to blame him.
“Yeah, that’s true.”
Moreover, she thought of those wounds as ones she couldn’t forget, but her thoughts were gradually changing.
However, Arin didn’t express her inner thoughts. She wasn’t sure about it, and since they would break up after a year anyway, she didn’t think it was necessary to explain.
Jaehyuk misunderstood Arin’s silence. He believed that she still resented herself due to the wounds.
“It might be difficult, but…”
He spoke while firmly holding the black card in her hand.
“I’ll try my best to turn bad memories into good ones.”
It was a completely different warm voice from back then.
“Even if you recall those memories, I’ll make sure you don’t make a painful expression like now.”
He looked at her with affectionate eyes. Arin looked up at Jaehyuk, who was holding her hand.
“…Yes.”
His large hand gently stroked her head.
“I want to tell you everything I know.”
His voice lingered in her ears.
“It might take a long time to talk about everything.”
“Is there anything you haven’t said?”
Last time, he knew that Kyungsook and Mrs. Choi weren’t her birth parents and used that as leverage.
“That’s not all.”
Arin became a bit uneasy about the fact that there was something bigger.
“I’m scared.”
He laughed vaguely at her words.
“At that time, the situation forced me to say that. So I want to properly tell you everything. So, shall we go see the sea this weekend?”
She chose a way to move her body without playing. When she came to the English academy, she handed him the black card he gave her.
“Then you’ll start next week. I’ll contact you about the classroom through text.”
The employee sitting at the cashier handed Arin the card and registration.
Has she ever spent time solely for herself in her life?
Arin felt emotional looking at the registration with her name on it.
But why not leave such a touching moment alone?
She couldn’t help but wonder. The moment she entered the academy today, Arin’s phone vibrated incessantly. It was all from the same person.
“Haah.”
Finally, Arin took out the phone that had been ringing alone in her bag.
Looking down at the phone screen ringing without any discretion, she let out a deep sigh.
“Why are you doing this?”
After Being Cheated On, She Picked Up a Treasure (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: The husband I married on a whim had been secretly in love with me for a long time.
On the day when Jun Shao finally obtained the imperial decree for her marriage, Lan Qu, the person she had admired for six years, defied the decree and ran away.
Her gentleness and devotion, her promise of a lifetime together, were all disregarded by him. Instead, he dreamed of entering the palace to serve the Emperor’s sister as a sixth-rank attendant.
News of this incident spread throughout the capital, and the alleys in front of and behind the Lan mansion were crowded with people who came to watch the commotion.
Jun Shao should have been embarrassed and angry.
But someone stepped in to protect her dignity.
The figure was in a miserable state, yet still possessed an undeniable elegance and handsomeness.
The young lord struggled to climb the wall of the Lan mansion and shouted to her, “If he won’t marry you, I will!”
So, Jun Shao took advantage of the situation and married the person.
She thought the young lord did it to save the Lan family from the crime of defying the imperial decree, but never imagined that from beginning to end, what he coveted was her.
*
After the wedding, Jun Shao felt like she was living in a dream.
Her Wife-master was as beautiful as a fairy in a painting, skilled in the six arts, well-versed in poetry and literature, capable of being gentle and attentive, and also grand and dignified. Most importantly, she was the only one in his heart and eyes.
Jun Shao didn’t know how Lan Shiwu, as a illegitimate son without a father and blessed with beauty, had managed to preserve his purity, recklessly escape, and use his last ounce of strength to ruin his own reputation, all because of his love for her, just to stand before her.
She could only see him gazing at her with eyes full of love, and when she bestowed a name upon him, his eyes shone like stars.
“You have come to me like a weary bird perching on a branch. I shall call you A Qi.”
