A plate of steaming kalguksu with plentiful squid-filled kimchijeon was placed between Eun-jae and Seon-woo. Eun-jae glanced alternately at the food and Seon-woo with curious eyes.
“Here… Did you plan to come here?”
“Yeah.”
Without giving directions when they got into the car, they drove for a whole hour to reach the destination.
“Because of what I mentioned before?”
“You said you wanted to eat on a rainy day.”
“…”
Watching Eun-jae silently gazing at the food on the table, Seon-woo clenched his fist on the table.
“Why? Do you want to cry again because it’s so touching?”
“How would I know if I’m a crybaby…”
“Crybaby suits you.”
Picking up the plate, Seon-woo scooped out some kalguksu and placed it in front of Eun-jae.
“This place is supposed to be the best around here. Eat it while it’s still warm. It’s hot.”
“Yes. I’ll enjoy it.”
Hoo-hoo—the moment Eun-jae tasted the kalguksu, her eyes widened.
“Wow.”
“Is it good?”
“Yes. It’s really delicious. Why is it so tasty?”
“Not because it’s raining?”
“I think it would be delicious even if you eat here on a day without rain.”
As he said, even though it was relatively early, the inside of the restaurant was bustling. Perhaps because the folding doors were wide open, it felt like being indoors while feeling like being outdoors.
Shoosh— the sound of pouring rain could be heard, and the raindrops that had gathered under the eaves fell drip by drip. Eun-jae put down her chopsticks and looked outside, her chin resting on her hand.
Seeing that, a smile formed on Seon-woo’s lips. Food always takes a back seat.
“Our mom also likes kalguksu.”
“Let’s come together next time.”
“Our mom… Attending the wedding might be difficult, right?”
Seon-woo’s firm gaze wavered at Eun-jae’s question.
“…Because it’s hard to breathe, it’s dangerous.”
Although she knew, the returned answer wasn’t much different from what she expected, and it didn’t make her feel good.
“Just in case, I asked. Lately, Mom’s complexion seems worse. The numbers have dropped, and… I’m worried.”
Hearing Eun-jae’s words, Seon-woo involuntarily suppressed the sigh that was about to come out.
A few weeks ago, the conversation between Seon-woo and Miran, where he recommended a lung transplant surgery due to declining lung function and lack of exercise, came to mind.
“Hey, Yoon Seo-bang. How much longer will I live if I have the surgery? I hope our daughter-in-law sees me and dies.”
“What are you talking about? You’ll get better with the surgery.”
“The surgery… I wish Eun-jae didn’t know. She’s a kid who unnecessarily worries a lot… I don’t want to burden her with worries before the wedding. It’s a difficult favor, I know, but I’m still asking like this.”
Seon-woo forcefully held back the memories, and he cut the kimchijeon into bite-sized pieces, placing them on Eun-jae’s plate.
“Don’t worry too much. You’ve been exercising diligently these days, and you’ll get better soon.”
“Will it be okay?”
“Then, your husband is a doctor at that hospital.”
“That’s right, it’s reassuring.”
Seon-woo placed the peeled clam meat into Eun-jae’s kalguksu bowl with his own hands.
“Just think it’ll get better. Don’t have such negative thoughts.”
“Yes.”
“Go ahead, it won’t taste good if it gets too cold.”
Eun-jae swallowed the clams and kalguksu Seon-woo served with enthusiasm. Then, she suddenly remembered something, and in one gulp, she swallowed the food in her mouth.
“It was when I just entered high school, it was raining suddenly after class.”
Friends who came to pick up their families left one by one, and she was left alone in the empty classroom, feeling so lonely.
“Your mom was busy.”
“Yes. I only have my mom as family, and she was working at the store without a break for the day. Even though I knew that, I wondered why it felt so heartbreaking.”
“You could feel that way. Your mom probably wanted to come to pick you up. It just wasn’t feasible.”
Right. Agreeing, Eun-jae forced a smile.
“I went to my mom’s store near the school, looking like a drowned rat. My mom closed the store early because of me that day. When I came home, my mom made kalguksu and kimchijeon for me. It was really delicious.”
“Weren’t you cold at that time?”
“No. I took the medicine my mom prepared and went to bed early. So, I woke up in the middle of the night. In fact, it was louder than that, so I woke up.”
“What noise?”
“My mom was drying my wet sneakers with a hairdryer. She was dozing off that dawn.”
“…”
“I only had one pair of shoes…”
Eun-jae’s voice was blurry at the end.
“In the morning, I wore those shoes and walked… They were so fluffy. So, tears kept coming out. In fact, I went to the demonstration in the rain because my mom didn’t come to pick me up. I was really bad.”
Eun-jae’s eyes quickly filled with tears as she recalled that day.
“Look at this. A crybaby indeed.”
Seon-woo’s long fingers reached out and wiped Eun-jae’s eyes.
“So, if it rains, do you think of that day?”
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.”
