“Let’s go a little slower.”
Etien couldn’t control her trembling legs and sat down. Knowing that she had to descend the mountain before the sunset, she walked with tension, fearing she might slip. However, her limits were reached soon.
Leharht, hearing Etien’s voice, returned. Wiping the sweat off his forehead, he assessed Etien’s condition.
“Yeah, let me hold your hand then.”
After refusing like that, he stuck his tongue out, asking if she hadn’t sat down because it was too difficult. Etien looked at him in amazement.
“After getting along so well with the prince, now you’re worried if someone sees us holding hands?”
“When did I ever worry about that after everything we’ve been through?”
Leharht’s words made Etien stay silent. Falling into the hole together made it challenging, and she could have easily overlooked holding onto him. However, even knowing that, she couldn’t easily rely on him.
Now that she knew the reason for coming back in time was the prince, it became complicated. While inside, the situation was unique, and she didn’t have the luxury to think differently. However, now that she was outside, her thoughts became complicated.
How would the prince use her now? How would he exploit her? Would there be a moment when protecting the family becomes difficult in the process?
When I was the only one who knew the secret, I tried to save the prince and prevent everyone in the family from dying. But now, I couldn’t know what Leharht was thinking.
That made Etien uneasy.
“Think about when we drank flower tea together. If I hadn’t been with Fernando then, I don’t know how the rumors would have changed.”
Etien hid her true feelings behind a plausible excuse, even going as far as pretending to massage her legs, fearing that she might be caught lying. So, she couldn’t see Leharht’s expression.
As Etien massaged her legs, Leharht came forward and sat down in front of her.
“Does it bother you that I’m the prince?”
When Etien didn’t say anything, Leharht placed his hand on her knee. Surprised by the unexpected contact, Etien raised her head.
“I was born the emperor’s son. I didn’t choose it, but I thought I had to accept it because it was my destiny. Well, I don’t mind wearing fancy clothes for a grand meal.”
At Leharht’s joke, Etien pursed her lips silently. Born as the emperor’s son, it sounded like something everyone would envy.
“I’m here. If you look at my face, you can pretty much tell who I am, right? But I don’t know everyone’s personality. I haven’t been able to get along with them.”
Etien nodded her head in agreement.
That was also true for Fernando. If it was difficult to approach the prince, Fernando often stayed in the mansion, making it hard to socialize.
Originally, the two of them only started getting along after the gatherings began.
“You’re someone who finds it burdensome to engage in light conversation.”
When he said that himself, she couldn’t really argue.
“I lived like that… What would be left?”
“What?”
“After I die. I wonder how many people would mourn my death.”
To Leharht’s almost soliloquy-like question, Etien couldn’t say anything. She didn’t know him well, having maintained a proper distance from the prince, so she felt more pity than sadness for his death.
Now that he’s gone, what will happen to our family…
“So, I’m trying to make friends, and I got caught. Etien, by you.”
“Well, then Fe…”
“Could you please stop mentioning that Fernando? I’m not particularly fond of him.”
Leharht shook his head in disdain, and Etien let out a short laugh. Despite Leharht’s apparent dislike, she knew he treated Fernando quite comfortably. So, his reaction was even more amusing.
“Now you’re laughing?”
“That… I’m sorry.”
Etien bowed her head and apologized. Saying that it’s difficult to socialize with the prince because of rumors was just an excuse, and she didn’t expect it to make him sad.
“Why are you sorry?”
“Well…”
“Because you know the future? Because the words you tried to hide hurt me?”
“…Your Highness.”
Etien looked up at Leharht with a pained expression. A smile appeared on Leharht’s lips as he turned his head slightly.
“You knew everything?”
“Isn’t it obvious? If I cared about rumors, I wouldn’t have allowed myself to approach you in the first place.”
Leharht recalled meeting Etien after they had tea together. He wondered if she would be cautious knowing the rumors, but that wasn’t the case at all.
Etien behaved as usual, and that’s how Leharht could tell. At least Etien didn’t guard herself against the scrutiny of others.
“You probably leaned on my shoulder and slept.”
“Why do you keep bringing that up…”
Etien was on the verge of being emotional about the recurring topic but quickly regained composure.
On the night she fell asleep in the carriage, Etien was certain she had closed her eyes, leaning against the wall. However, at some point, she felt someone leaning on her.
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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