Surprisingly, Byeong-jun became interested.
“Even if he doesn’t come, we hear all the news. Just a month ago, people were saying Si-yoon oppa doesn’t meet women and only focuses on studying. Then suddenly, rumors started spreading that he likes men. But marriage? What kind of marriage!”
As if confidently denying that, So-min looked at Byeong-jun with an assured and meaningful gaze. Byeong-jun thought that Si-yoon’s marriage was not ordinary.
“So, no one knows that Si-yoon got married?”
“This is insane.”
So-min took out her phone and made a call to someone.
“Hey, I’m here. Si-yoon oppa is at your school, right? Yes. Professor Timothy Kim. Have you heard any news? …Really? Well, I was planning to meet Si-yoon oppa once this time, so I wanted to buy a gift in case something good happened. Got it. I’m a bit busy now. I’ll call you back.”
As soon as So-min’s business was finished, she abruptly ended the conversation.
“What’s up?”
“After finishing the semester, there’s nothing much except going back to Korea. It doesn’t make sense. If my brother got married, people would have been invited, but there was no one who went to the wedding.”
“Yeah, it’s strange. I couldn’t go either.”
The strange gaze of the two met again, and when Byeong-jun tilted his head once more, So-min jumped.
“What are you saying? No, Uncle, where do you find a marriage that doesn’t invite anyone?”
“That’s why I find it strange too.”
Pretending to drink water, Byeong-jun watched how So-min would react.
“Still, it’s true. If it were Kim Si-yoon from Taehan Foundation, rumors would have spread if my brother got married. What kind of thief gets married? This is ridiculous.”
“A thief’s marriage!”
That phrase pierced Byeong-jun’s heart.
“If it’s not a thief’s marriage, is there any problem on the woman’s side? Is the family really that strict, or is it embarrassing to reveal something? Anyway, it’s suspicious.”
So-min’s commotion added certainty to Byeong-jun’s suspicion of an unusual marriage.
“I should go meet Si-yoon once.”
“As expected, there’s only So-min who cares about Si-yoon. I was subtly worried about Si-yoon too. It’s not just worrying about him casually announcing his marriage and hushing it up.”
Byeong-jun glanced at So-min’s reaction.
“Don’t worry. I’ll go, look around, ask various things, and get back to you.”
“Okay, thank you.”
Byeong-jun felt good thinking that he had found a pawn to play with in his own game for a while.
Mi-joo and Si-yoon were at Mi-joo’s house in Sunset Valley, organizing their belongings.
Although she had people to help her clean up, Mi-joo wanted to organize each item herself as they were her precious belongings.
Mi-joo picked up a bowl from the sink.
“Do you know what this is?”
Although it was just an ordinary rice bowl, Si-yoon looked at Mi-joo with a sparkling gaze, wondering if there was some story behind it.
“I ate rice and soup separately in this bowl for the first time when I was in the third grade of elementary school.”
“What about before that?”
“Trays.”
Mi-joo, who grew up eating meals at daycare centers and schools, had never experienced putting meals in individual rice and soup bowls. Of course, she had seen plenty of meal scenes on TV, but rice bowls and soup bowls were unfamiliar and painful items for Mi-joo.
“Before I went to a friend’s house, her mom told me to go eat, and she served rice like this. How delicious the plain rice was.”
As if recalling that time, a short expression of reminiscence and loneliness flashed across Mi-joo’s face.
Si-yoon approached and hugged Mi-joo, who was holding the rice bowl in her hand.
“This must be another precious bowl that Mi-joo bought for the first time.”
“Yes, I didn’t know how happy I was when I picked this.”
“Then, this should go in that box too.”
As Mi-joo nodded, Si-yoon packed several rice bowls and dishes into a box.
Mi-joo’s loneliness and the time that had passed were painful for Si-yoon, but he was making an effort to calmly accept Mi-joo’s life. He knew that Mi-joo didn’t want his sympathy or pity.
“But there’s a big problem.”
“What is it?”
“I can’t fit in here.”
“Why is Si-yoon in that box?”
“I’m Mi-joo’s first man, so naturally, I should be in there.”
Mi-joo’s face turned red. It wasn’t anything, but whenever Si-yoon spoke, her face would inexplicably blush. For the past few days, her mind seemed to be entirely dyed red, and the color didn’t seem to fade away.
Watching her, Si-yoon chuckled, then suddenly lay down on the bed and said a word.
“Oh, I misspoke. Not the first man but…”
“The first one is correct.”
Mi-joo suddenly raised her voice, interrupting Si-yoon.
Like a troublemaker, the big man lying on Mi-joo’s small single bed turned around and looked at Mi-joo.
“No, I meant to say the first and last man.”
Mi-joo blamed her own recklessness and pretended to tidy up her things.
“I’ll tidy up, so Si-yoon can rest.”
Si-yoon just nodded, looking at Mi-joo with an expression of amazement.
“What did I do that you’re telling me to rest? I’ve been holding back wanting to take a break.”
No, it was just an ordinary statement, so why did it sound so suggestive again? Or maybe it was only Mi-joo’s ears. Anyway, feeling like she accidentally touched a tiger’s whiskers, Mi-joo pretended to tidy up her belongings.
“Oh, why is there so much dust?”
Hearing Mi-joo’s words, Si-yoon, who had been listening, closed his eyes and fell silent. In the quiet room for a moment, faint sounds of Si-yoon’s voice were heard.
“Mi-joo, come and rest for a bit.”
While lying down, Si-yoon reached out towards Mi-joo. He looked at Mi-joo with an expression of disbelief.
“What did I do that you’re telling me to rest? I’ve been holding back wanting to take a break.”
No, it was just an ordinary statement, so why did it sound so suggestive again? Or maybe it was only Mi-joo’s ears. Anyway, feeling like she accidentally touched a tiger’s whiskers, Mi-joo pretended to tidy up her belongings.
“Oh, why is there so much dust?”
Hearing Mi-joo’s words, Si-yoon, who had been listening, closed his eyes and fell silent. In the quiet room for a moment, faint sounds of Si-yoon’s voice were heard.
“Mi-joo, come and rest for a bit.”
While lying down, Si-yoon reached out towards Mi-joo. He looked at Mi-joo with an expression of disbelief.
“What is this?”
Mi-joo, indulging in her whims, rummaged through a box, and Si-yoon suddenly got up, approaching Mi-joo.
In this small room with no escape, once Si-yoon catches her, it will be an instant.
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.”
