Jung Na-eun was Woo-jin’s high school classmate, who had stood by his side for two years during his tough times before leaving for studies in the U.S.
Even though she had a student-like appearance eight years ago, Ji-hyun was very pleased to see her now matured into a sophisticated woman.
“When did you come to Korea?”
He led her to the long conference table and asked.
“I’ve been here for a month or two, but I’ve been so busy I couldn’t come to greet you. I’m sorry.”
“No, don’t be. Wow, I wouldn’t recognize you on the street now. You’ve changed completely.”
“I’ll be thirty the day after tomorrow, so I had to change.”
Ji-hyun served green tea for her and coffee for himself.
“Is your grandfather doing well?”
Na-eun asked kindly. When she announced she was leaving for studies, the most upset person in the family was Chairman Seol Ma-Jung.
“He’s healthy. He’ll be happy to know you’re here. How was your time in the U.S.?”
“I went to school, graduated, and then worked.”
“In Korea? Did you find a job?”
“Yes, I got a job at Daiver.”
Daiver was a renowned search site and also a company where Ji-hyun had invested in web novel content.
“That’s good. I’m glad.”
Ji-hyun didn’t mention his investment but pondered what her major was in college.
“I’m in the web novel content team.”
As if reading Ji-hyun’s mind, Na-eun elaborated.
“Really?”
Wondering if she knew Woo-jin was posting his writings there, he discreetly watched Na-eun’s reaction. She looked at him and gently asked.
“How is Woo-jin doing?”
It was a question she had wanted to ask.
“He’s doing well. He’s independent and living alone.”
Na-eun looked surprised.
“Woo-jin is alone? How?”
“His condition improved significantly. Of course, someone comes to help with house chores.”
Na-eun’s expression became a bit dazed before she quickly regained composure and smiled.
“Wow, that’s quite a progress. How did he manage that?”
“Just, you know, after you left, Woo-jin seemed to think a lot. He studied braille diligently and listened to a lot of audiobooks, and then one day, suddenly said he wanted to be independent. So grandfather let him.”
Ji-hyun omitted the part about his influence on the decision.
“He learned braille? Is that why Woo-jin is writing?”
This time Ji-hyun was surprised.
“You know about it?”
He asked loudly, wondering how she recognized his pen name.
“Yes. The MD told me about Ji-hyun oppa. It seems like you don’t upload them yourself but upload others’ works, right? You also handle all the publishing-related work. At first, I was wondering who the writer was, but then I thought it might be Woo-jin. But, how does he type on a computer keyboard if he can’t see?”
“He memorized the keyboard. And with the advancements in technology nowadays, he somehow manages.”
“I’ve read all the published books too. The literary style is completely different from the web novels, isn’t it? It’s like they were written by entirely different people.”
Na-eun’s activities over the past two months brought a gentle smile to Ji-hyun’s face. He thought she would have forgotten Woo-jin after their big fight eight years ago, but she hadn’t.
“Has his temper improved? He was really like a wild cat back then.”
Listening to her, it seemed there were still some hard feelings towards Woo-jin. So Ji-hyun defended his brother.
“Woo-jin has become a decent person.”
“He wasn’t a person in middle and high school?”
Na-eun tilted her head in surprise, leading Ji-hyun to chuckle. Somehow, he had an idea of what she meant.
“He was? Woo-jin?”
“Yes. He was a complete show-off, thinking no one was above him. The kids were so annoyed by him. They just tolerated it because he was rich, good-looking, and smart.”
Na-eun had changed. She used to be a shy, tearful girl, but now she was blunt and to the point. Ji-hyun laughed as he spoke.
“Our Na-eun has changed a lot, hasn’t she?”
“Maybe? After sharpening my knife of revenge for seven years?”
“Revenge? On whom?”
“On Woo-jin. I’m going to get back at him for ignoring me for two years.”
Her words said revenge, but her expression was that of the shy Na-eun, making Ji-hyun laugh out loud.
As Ji-hyun thought of Soo-yeong, he remembered how Yeon-seo felt deeply hurt by Woo-jin’s words, ‘Don’t treat others carelessly as if they’re not your own body.’ After hearing Woo-jin, she felt as if she was a terrible person.
Anyone who talked to Woo-jin ended up feeling like a bad person. He had a strange talent for making others feel that way.
However, Soo-yeong didn’t seem to have that issue.
Though Ji-hyun had never seen the two conversing, it was clear that Woo-jin was comfortable with her.
Just the day before yesterday, he had refused to have dinner with Ji-hyun, seeming like he was reverting to his old self, so Ji-hyun scolded him.
“Yeon-seo said something that upset you! But you shouldn’t starve yourself like this! You need to eat, even if you have to fight!”
He expected Woo-jin to shout and rebel, but there was no response, which was even worse.
However, yesterday, Woo-jin had dinner and seemed much softer. He had been so upset about the cockroach incident that Ji-hyun deliberately drank two bottles of tonic and left, but Woo-jin obediently ate his dinner.
When Ji-hyun texted Soo-yeong later, he learned that they had lunch together. It was another moment of realization of how significant an influence Soo-yeong had on Woo-jin.
Now that Na-eun had returned, Ji-hyun wondered if she too would become a significant person for Woo-jin. He was curious how Woo-jin, who seemed to have feelings for Soo-yeong, would react upon seeing Na-eun.
“I minored in social welfare in the U.S. I had a lot of internships, and since it’s a developed country, the facilities for people with disabilities were well-equipped. Public institutions were accessible for wheelchairs.”
Na-eun’s choice of social welfare as her minor made sense to Ji-hyun, and he listened intently as she shared her experiences.
“Devices for printing documents had earphone jacks too. They were accessible for visually impaired people. When I left for the U.S., I don’t think our country had such facilities, but I saw them in the district office when I came back. I was really surprised. Is our country becoming advanced?”
“We’ve always been advanced.”
“My professor said that the level of a country’s welfare, especially for the disabled, often determines whether it’s developed or not. Underdeveloped countries are too busy surviving to care for others. I really learned a lot in the U.S.”
She didn’t mention that she came back to help Woo-jin with what she learned, assuming Ji-hyun and her grandfather would be happy about it.
Ji-hyun pondered whether to tell Na-eun about Soo-yeong, who was working as a housekeeper for Woo-jin and whom he was heavily relying on.
But he hesitated to potentially hurt Na-eun, who had studied so hard in the U.S. to help Woo-jin. Telling her might sound like ‘Woo-jin no longer needs your help,’ which, even if true, was something Woo-jin should convey himself.
Ji-hyun just hoped Woo-jin wouldn’t be too harsh in expressing it.
“Go! Just go! I don’t need someone like you!”
Woo-jin had shouted at Na-eun when she struggled to tell him she was going to the U.S. Ji-hyun thought maybe she was hoping for Woo-jin to ask her to stay.
But back then, Woo-jin was busy pushing everyone away, shouting, hitting, and flipping tables.
It was only later that Ji-hyun realized that Woo-jin was warning everyone not to come close, implying that getting close to him would result in death, like his father.
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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