Because she was accustomed to life with Seoyoon, she momentarily felt strange under the tree where Ji An was buried.
Feeling too sorry, she couldn’t stand up for a long time, lying on the grass.
“Hajoon, we’re Ji An’s parents after all. We need to know exactly what happened to send Ji An off.”
A few days later, through Hajoon, she heard a story about meeting Ji An’s husband.
In the process of quarreling with that man, there was an accident, and the situation almost killed both Seoyoon and her, like a butterfly effect.
The child who always wanted good clothes and a good house died while pursuing an unfulfilled desire.
It was her own sin that she couldn’t do anything for the child, and every day, she visited the arboretum to ask for forgiveness from Ji An.
While recalling Ji An like that, Seoyoon naturally followed.
Despite the name change and changed circumstances, she was still a precious daughter.
“I was so worried when you didn’t come, but you’re here, Seoyoon.”
Junghye, wiping her blurry eyes, turned around and faced Seoyoon.
“You’re our daughter too, Seoyoon. You’re our daughter too…”
Docheol, coming out of the kitchen with a tray, hugged his crying wife and daughter, stealing tears at the sight.
The cries, aimed at forgetting the pain and moving forward, filled the house for quite a long time.
As soon as the tearful dinner was over, various kinds of fruits filled the table.
Seoyoon, who moved to the sofa, accepted the strawberries her parents handed her, just like before.
Kanghyun occasionally played with the fork while sharing casual stories with the family.
Though they were precious to Seoyoon and should be thought of as such, it wasn’t as easy as it sounded.
“Seoyoon, try the peach too.”
“Mom, have some too.”
If Kanghyun couldn’t feed Seoyoon with fruit, he put down the fork, unused without stories, and got up from his seat.
As Seoyoon, who was flowering untold stories, raised her head, he said, “I have something to discuss on the phone.”
Seoyoon gazed at Kanghyun’s retreating figure.
“So, Vice President already knew, that you are Seoyoon.”
When Kanghyun went out, and the door locked, Docheol opened his mouth.
“Yeah, he knew.”
“But why didn’t you say anything…”
“Because I saw you happily living as Seojian. Besides, I lost my memory. I couldn’t approach, couldn’t distance myself, just stayed like that.”
Alone, while tormenting her heart.
Thinking of Kanghyun as seen through Seojian’s eyes, Seoyoon’s eyes fell.
“Jian came to us, and you went to Vice President Tae. Why send the twins to different orphanages? It would have been good if they were together.”
“Oh, this person. Why bring up the past for no reason.”
Docheol rebuked Junghye, who was making unnecessary remarks due to her sad heart.
“Okay, okay. By the way, is Vice President still not in good health? He looks pale.”
Junghye, recalling Kanghyun mumbling throughout the meal, asked with a worried expression.
“My health is fine. I’m like a hedgehog.”
“Huh? A hedgehog?”
“A hedgehog that wants to prick everyone around me. That’s what I mean.”
Seoyoon’s words, spoken like a joke, were not understood by the bewildered Junghye and Docheol, who looked at each other with puzzled expressions.
“I’ve been loved by my brother like that since I was very young. He would hug me, put the thorns up close, so no one could approach.”
“…”
“I’m just saying our relationship is like that with my brother.”
Seoyoon stared at the firmly closed front door.
He was admirable for enduring the uncomfortable situation as promised earlier, but he seemed uneasy in his heart.
“I want to go home.”
Things she didn’t know when she was Seojian became clearly visible now.
The fearful expression, afraid of being taken away by suddenly appearing parents, lingered in my mind.
“And……”
Seoyoon pressed her reddened cheek with her palm and smiled subtly.
“I’m thinking about marrying Oppa. Probably within this year.”
“Oh, really? That’s great.”
“Sud-suddenly?”
While Junghye clapped her hands with excitement, Docheol’s complexion darkened slightly as he stumbled over his words.
“Yeah, I want to prepare quickly. It would be nice if Dad held my hand and walked me down.”
“Well, that’s natural.”
Docheol nodded confidently.
As a dad with a daughter, it wasn’t something to welcome with open arms, but after spending a long time together, there was nothing else to say.
“Why, Seoyoon. What do you need?”
“No, I’ll bring Oppa.”
Seoyoon smoothly got up and put on her shoes, tilting her head as she headed outside.
When they went out, Kanghyun, who had been leaning against one side of the wall, straightened up.
“Why did you come out?”
“Why did Oppa come out? Without anyone to call.”
“It’s nice if you can be comfortable with your parents.”
Kanghyun, forcing a smile by lifting the corners of his mouth, stroked Seoyoon’s head.
Seoyoon had said she was the most important, but in reality, there was no one to rival her priority.
Parents are parents, lovers are lovers.
Knowing that the nature of affection is different, she couldn’t tolerate dividing her love in half—it was purely her own problem.
“The thought that my parents might take me away, for now, they won’t.”
“I’ll do my best.”
Seoyoon shook hands with Kanghyun, who sincerely responded.
“Oppa, do you want to go home?”
“…No.”
“But you seem to want to go?”
Kanghyun’s thick eyebrows twitched. Somehow, it felt like being teased.
“I said no.”
How much he would go was uncertain, but Seoyoon, who enjoyed wielding control over Kanghyun, smiled mischievously.
“Then can I sleep here tonight?”
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.”
