Ultimately, Ji An couldn’t bring herself to mention the baby ultrasound picture and, following Kang Hyun’s suggestion to wait outside while he handled the busy checkout, she lingered near the door.
Time does seem to fly faster with age. Already past early December, Christmas trees had begun to appear one by one in streets, plazas, and in front of shops. The weather was unusually warm for winter, dulling the sense of the approaching year-end.
Watching people stroll in light clothing, Ji An waited for Kang Hyun, who seemed to be taking longer than expected. Concerned, she re-entered the restaurant.
“Welcome back.”
“My friend hasn’t come out yet.”
Ji An looked around the not-too-large shop, not seeing Kang Hyun near the cashier.
“The tall gentleman you were with? He went towards the restroom a little while ago.”
“Oh, okay. Thank you.”
Surprised that the conspicuously tall man had seemingly vanished, Ji An’s stern expression softened as she stepped back outside.
“Let’s go.”
Soon after, Kang Hyun emerged, striding past Ji An with long steps.
Ji An, paler in the face, hurried after the retreating figure of Kang Hyun.
“Executive Director, let me treat you to a coffee for dessert.”
Unable to refuse her pleading eyes, Kang Hyun agreed quietly.
“Shall we go to the company cafeteria?”
“A monkey dreaming of a zoo, I didn’t know.”
Realizing belatedly the attention they would attract at the company cafeteria, Ji An readily nodded in agreement.
“Let’s buy coffee from a nearby cafe and take it to the office.”
“That’s a good idea.”
As Ji An decided on a location where they could spend time undisturbed, a barely perceptible smile appeared on Kang Hyun’s lips. Ji An, noticing this slight change in expression, also lifted the corners of her mouth with satisfaction.
“You’ll have an Americano, right?”
Arriving at a two-story franchise cafe just a few steps from the udon restaurant, Ji An first asked for Kang Hyun’s preference.
“No.”
“What will you have then?”
“I’ll have ice cream.”
Surprised like a startled rabbit, Ji An looked up at Kang Hyun who chuckled at her reaction.
“Don’t be so surprised, I know how to eat ice cream.”
“Do you like ice cream?”
“Not really.”
It was after he had forcibly finished a bowl of udon for Ji An’s sake, only to throw it all up later.
Not wanting to risk a spectacle by drinking coffee, Kang Hyun chose ice cream to soothe his burning stomach.
“We should have gone to the ice cream parlor next door.”
After receiving their coffee and ice cream, they returned to the office and sat on the sofa in Kang Hyun’s office, with lunchtime nearly over.
Most employees were busy returning to work, but since Kang Hyun’s schedule was light and Seok Won hadn’t returned yet, Ji An was relatively at ease.
“I said I don’t particularly like it.”
“But you’re eating it quite eagerly.”
Ji An couldn’t help but laugh as she watched Kang Hyun meticulously spoon the roundly scooped ice cream from the yellow cup.
Eating the ice cream listlessly, not even sure if it tasted good or not, Kang Hyun presented a new and unusual sight.
“Why are you laughing?”
“Executive Director, sometimes you…”
Almost blurting out how incredibly cute he could be, Ji An awkwardly stopped mid-sentence and took a sip of her Americano. Kang Hyun was swallowing the cold cream without much enthusiasm, trying to soothe his irritable stomach and scoffing internally at the harmful, chemically laden, sweet and cold food.
“Are you feeling unwell, Executive Director? You look worse than usual.”
“So I usually look bad, but today it’s worse?”
“No, I meant if you were ill!”
“No, I’m fine.”
Kang Hyun replied nonchalantly, pretending there was nothing wrong, and then scooped a large portion of ice cream with his plastic spoon, offering it to Ji An. He didn’t want to feed her ice cream in winter, but it seemed like something she might enjoy.
“For me?”
“Try it, it’s sweet.”
Hesitating briefly, Ji An leaned towards Kang Hyun and took the spoon in her mouth.
“It’s really sweet, too sweet. Ha… ha…”
Forcing a smile, Ji An bit her lip. She had always found Kang Hyun’s behavior mostly incomprehensible, but recently it was particularly hard to discern his intentions.
Indeed, just yesterday…
“…You’re trying not to like me, right?”
“Don’t try to stop.”
But to ask him again about his feelings would seem too obsessive, so she hesitated.
“Another bite?”
“No, thank you.”
Quickly refusing more ice cream, Ji An noticed Kang Hyun’s smile fade to a straight line.
…Was he disappointed just now?
Ji An stared blankly at his suddenly sullen face and inwardly sighed.
Should I just confess?
The impulse surged within her, but still, she lacked the courage to move past his deceased lover.
[Star icon] [Star icon] [Star icon]Seated in the company cafeteria, Seok Won focused on Yeon Ju’s slender fingers tapping the table. It had been a long time since he’d reached out to her first.
Male lead fell into her trap — and shattered when she walked away
This is also on my reread list!
This one is a slow burn, but when it burns, it burns hard.
Definitely worth a read, y’all!
The story follows a thousand-year-old seductive spirit who, on a bet, sets out to charm the male lead—a once-promising but unfortunate cultivator.
But just when she succeeds in making him fall for her, she heartlessly leaves, driving him to madness.
Determined to find her at all costs, he captures her, keeping her by his side no matter what, even if she hates him.
I love this kind of trope—I enjoy watching the male lead suffer in agony.
The ending drags a bit with unnecessary filler, but that’s fine.
As long as I enjoy the beginning, I’m good.
Intro
As an enchantress, Su Heng possesses captivating eyes and charming beauty, easily manipulating the joys and sorrows of living beings at her fingertips.
But to enchant a god, making him taste the bitterness of love’s separation, long-lasting resentment, unattainable desires, and inability to let go…
Do you dare?
Su Heng assists a divine lord in his cultivation, aiming to make him experience all the sufferings of love, so that he can attain the Great Dao.
Only after being chased down from the heavens by the divine lord, confined and completely possessed by him, does she realize how successful she has been.
The once gentle and polite youth has transformed into someone she no longer recognizes.
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
