“Ah, I think it’s okay not to attach the eyelashes.”
Eun Chae felt the diligent movement of hands above her face and spoke. The shop assistant, holding the separate strands of false eyelashes, agreed, setting them back down, noting that Eun Chae’s lashes were long enough just with curling.
Eun Chae simply nodded with a soft smile, not offering any explanation. It was finally the day of her graduation recital, and she wanted nothing heavy or bothersome on her eyes.
Nevertheless, wanting to shine on stage, Eun Chae checked her makeup in the mirror.
Her features were distinct and prominent, so she hadn’t done much contouring, but she liked the understated, elegant makeup. Matching this, she chose a transparent lip gloss for her lips, staring blankly at her lips evenly coated with a shimmering color.
‘Why don’t you do the same thing you did with that guy to me?’
Han Seung Yun’s ludicrous words echoed in her ears. And she also saw herself, who hesitated even for a moment at his suggestion. What would have happened if she had accepted that offer?
Kissing another man.
It would have been obvious. Meaningless and without any feeling.
What difference would that make, after all, she hadn’t even bothered to fully understand Han Seung Yun’s intentions. So, it would have been just like putting her lips on a random object lying on the floor.
She would have felt disgusted. Even if it was an emotionless object, putting something that had been rolling on the floor in her mouth would be just as filthy.
Han Seung Yun’s scandal had left her without any leverage, but she was glad she ended it with a threat. It seemed to have worked, seeing his last expression.
Although he might come to the graduation recital. What meaning would that hold? She pondered for a moment and then let go of the thought.
There was no significance in their relationship. If she had to interpret it, it seemed like he was now all-in on reality, but the timing was off.
She would not deny reality anymore, but that didn’t mean she would move according to it.
“Looks pretty. Thank you. Would a hair style with loose strands tied down suit me?”
Eun Chae spoke to the staff with a smile and sipped the coffee she had set on the table, calming her mind. Oddly, even though caffeine was supposed to do the opposite, the surroundings seemed to quieten down.
Anyway, she needed to focus only on the graduation recital for now and set aside other distracting thoughts. She eagerly anticipated standing on the stage of the university art hall, holding her viola. She didn’t want the time she spent practicing for this day to go to waste.
After finishing her styling for the recital, Eun Chae changed into a black suit and got into the car waiting outside the shop.
The university graduation recitals always attracted attention, and journalists would likely be present, so Ki Joo, who was already waiting at the art hall, was in the parking lot at the back of the hall, where only staff could enter, waiting for her.
When she arrived and Ki Joo opened the door, Eun Chae glanced at the driver’s seat and made a subtle gesture. Ki Joo, who had been looking down, turned his head towards the driver’s seat.
“Get down and join the security personnel at the main entrance of the art hall.”
The bodyguard sitting in the driver’s seat quickly responded and got out of the car. Once the bodyguard was gone, Ki Joo got into the passenger seat, and Eun Chae spoke immediately.
“Han Seung Yun will probably come today. If we prevent him from entering for no reason, it’ll only cause confusion and disrupt the others, so just let him be.”
“…….”
“There won’t be any reason to see him after today.”
Eun Chae sighed softly as she observed Ki Joo’s lack of reaction.
“Didn’t I tell you? I’m not getting married.”
At this, a reaction was evident. Ki Joo’s head moved slightly, his eyebrows furrowing, and Eun Chae grabbed his arms.
“I’m not going to marry Han Seung Yun. I’ve told the chairman too. Even if forced, I won’t do it.”
Ki Joo’s eyes fixed on Eun Chae’s delicate hands barely clinging to his solid forearms. As he was about to speak, she preempted him.
“You won’t ask why, like a fool, right?”
As he looked up again, his gaze settling on her determined eyes, a faint blush, barely noticeable, bloomed under her eyes.
Ha. A chuckle escaped Ki Joo’s lips.
Momentarily startled, Eun Chae bit her lip.
His hand rose, thumb gently prying open her clamped lips, then firmly grasping her chin. As Ki Joo tilted his head, closing in on her flawless face, Eun Chae belatedly covered her mouth with both hands.
“……I can’t right now. It’ll ruin my makeup.”
Ki Joo, gazing intently at her slight defiance, grasped her hands and pinned them against the car seat, then brought his imposing frame closer. Eun Chae, feeling trapped, couldn’t hide her excitement from him.
“You’re happy right now, aren’t you?”
“Yes.”
Her response came out languidly, as if it was the most natural thing.
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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