Edric looked at Melly.
Time seemed to flow slowly only around her as she carefully brewed the tea.
‘She made the tea so seriously and meticulously.’
He realized only now. That every movement of her hands handling the tea set was imbued with traces of long practice.
It wasn’t that she was just a bit more skilled than ordinary people, but a skill honed through repeated practice.
Why hadn’t he known that and taken the tea she made for granted? And refused it as if it were natural?
‘Honey, have some tea. Today, I specially made it for you…’
‘I already had some outside.’
For how long had I trivially regarded that carefully made tea, with measured tea leaves, proper temperature, and time precisely timed with a pocket watch?
If only I had realized earlier. Then now…
“As expected, the tea here is the best in this area.”
If only I didn’t have to share her with those people.
“I’m rather grateful that you enjoy it so much.”
Edric felt jealous of every person to whom she smiled and handed tea.
He was quite displeased with having to now share what he thought was his exclusive possession with an unspecified number of people.
‘This wasn’t my intention.’
For the past month.
He had done his best for Melly.
He went to see her persistently, swallowing his pride, even as she said she was just his ex-wife, and suppressed the desire to take her to the duke’s residence right away, waiting for her to change her mind on her own.
As a result, when he noticed things lacking in the shop, he changed it to a better environment for her to work in, and dealt with tea suppliers to the imperial household by adding a premium to get quality tea at a low price.
But at this moment, he regretted all those things he had done.
Because the comfort he had created only made her smile more brightly towards other people. And.
“I enjoyed the tea, Miss Sarah. Drinking the tea you brew is my daily energy booster.”
Also the leisure that was now causing affection to arise in another man’s heart.
‘This is troublesome.’
Watching Melly respond with a smile, taking the man’s pickup line at face value, Edric narrowed his eyes.
Perhaps, he thought, this might be the limit.
The maximum limit of what he could endure for her sake.
[This is the timeline separator]“Sister. Have you been well?”
After a long time, Elsa visited Melly’s shop.
“Ah… hello.”
Melly greeted awkwardly and quickly lowered her head.
Thinking of what happened between Edric and her lover last time, she still couldn’t look at her properly.
“Oh, sister.”
Elsa rolled her eyes, but not unkindly.
“That’s all in the past now. It was also due to a misunderstanding. Besides, thanks to that, the village development fund and Leon’s government job were resolved, so we’re both living without much complaint.”
Edric had apologized by compensating Leon and Elsa generously. Of course, he also personally bowed his head and conveyed words of apology. He was never a man to bow his head to someone of lower status, but at that moment, he was in such a magnanimous and inclusive state that he could have knelt if told to do so.
That is, at the moment he learned that Melly was not pregnant.
“But I don’t see him today?”
Elsa asked, looking around the shop.
Melly knew who she was looking for but pretended not to know.
“Who are you talking about?”
“Your husband.”
“He’s not my husband.”
Melly snapped. No matter how guilty she felt towards them, she had to be clear about certain things.
“He’s my ex-husband. As I said last time.”
Melly had confessed the truth to the two of them while treating Leon on the day he was hit by Edric. Except for the fact that she had been the Duchess of Pelton.
“Okay, I was just joking.”
Elsa apologized with a wink.
“But what brings you here?”
“I came to tell you… a piece of news.”
The pause between her words suggested it wasn’t such good news.
“Have you heard of ‘Lumière’?”
“…”
“The best tea house in the capital.”
Melly nodded.
Though she had never been there, she knew about it. It was a place opened by a master craftsman who had retired after being in charge of the imperial court’s desserts, known for its popular yet deep tea flavor.
If you wanted to have a gathering there, you had to make a reservation at least three days in advance.
Melly asked.
“Why do you ask about that place?”
“Actually… they’re opening a branch in our village.”
Elsa furrowed her brows as if regretful. But on the other hand, perhaps thinking there couldn’t be better news for developing the village, her lips twitched peculiarly.
“…I see. Where is it opening?”
Melly asked. Elsa answered, trying to calm her constantly twitching lips.
“At the entrance of the square.”
Ah… they’re blocking the main route.
There couldn’t be worse news for Melly.
[This is the timeline separator]Elsa tried to reassure Melly, saying that even if such a grand tea house opened, how many village residents would go there, and since the prices would be high, only wealthy travelers would visit. The residents would still visit Melly’s affordable shop.
But those words were completely wrong.
Lumière drastically lowered their prices to half of the capital’s prices to suit the village circumstances.
The prices were almost the same as Melly’s tea house ‘Jade’, and some teas were even cheaper.
Moreover, as an opening gift, they gave high-quality parasols to women and silver oil lighters to men. Melly’s shop was completely losing in the competition.
“Cheer up, baby mama. I still think the tea you brew is the most delicious.”
Only a few neighborhood aunties who cared for Melly visited out of loyalty, but other than that, no one came.
Her shop had been empty for days.
Sigh−.
Melly, who had been wiping tables, sighed deeply and slumped into a chair.
How could a shop she had built up be on the path to ruin like this.
It was heartbreaking to the point of feeling sick.
“Just how delicious could it be.”
She had thought she was confident in her tea flavor, but it seemed she was no match for a tea house of great renown.
Since it had come to this, she felt she should at least taste it before going out of business. Otherwise, there would be no improvement.
Melly kicked open the shop door and strode purposefully towards the square entrance.
The hastily tied belly band rattled, hitting her stomach.
The cloth bundles stuffed inside kept trying to slip down, so Melly had to support her belly with one hand.
Just as she painfully rounded the alleys and reached the entrance leading to the square.
Oh my!
Melly couldn’t believe her eyes.
A new tea house with an elegant signboard, shiny gold-leaf trim, and antique lattice windows that softly absorbed the sunlight was flaunting its graceful appearance.
In just over ten days, with only slight renovations to the shop exterior, it gave the illusion of having demolished the previous building and built anew.
And in front of it, people were crowding in throngs.
Among them were several ladies who had often visited Melly’s shop and complimented her saying, “Big sister’s tea is the most delicious.”
When their eyes met Melly’s, they averted their gaze out of guilt.
‘You don’t have to do that.’
Melly shifted her gaze to the shop entrance with a bitter smile.
A young man who looked like the manager was lining people up and letting in groups as tables became available.
“…!”
Melly’s eyes lingered on the manager for a long time.
“Alright, next customers please come in.”
Dark brown hair and black eyes. A young man carefully estimating expected times and checking headcounts while looking alternately inside and outside the shop.
Melly approached him as if drawn by a magnet.
“Two seats available inside. Next custom…”
Just as he was about to gesture the next group in, Melly suddenly grabbed his arm and said.
“Wilson!”
[This is the timeline separator]“What’s going on? Why are you here…”
Melly asked with wide eyes, surprised by the unexpected encounter. Strangely, Wilson didn’t seem as surprised as her.
“Well… you see, madam…”
Instead, he hesitated to speak, avoiding Melly’s eyes.
Melly examined him closely and asked.
“Have you quit working at the duke’s residence?”
That was as far as she could imagine. Wilson nodded with some difficulty.
“Yes… yes…”
At that moment, the lined-up customers urged.
“Are we going in or not?”
“P-please come in.”
He quickly ushered the customers in and said to Melly in a low voice.
“Um, madam. I’m a bit busy right now. So…”
“I understand. Then I’ll wait over there, so come by when you’re free.”
Melly pointed to a bench at the edge of the square as she spoke. Wilson smiled awkwardly as if he hadn’t meant for her to wait, but Melly had already turned away.
Returning to the bench, Melly sighed as she looked at Wilson and the shop in the same frame.
‘Of all ways to meet.’
As the manager of a large company infringing on her market and a small business owner.
It was a strange situation.
But despite that, she was glad to see a member of the duke’s household after a long time. Melly harbored no ill feelings towards him at all. Rather, she was excited at the thought of asking not only about his well-being but also about the other servants of the duke’s residence. Oz. Yes, she was most curious about her well-being.
Wilson didn’t come for over thirty minutes.
Well, there were many customers.
Sigh−.
Looking at the bustling customers incomparable to her tea house, Melly half gave up.
A tea house with name power alone. Elegant and sophisticated exterior. Guaranteed tea flavor.
‘I can’t compete with a place like this.’
The lucky breaks she had encountered so far flashed through her mind like a panorama.
A cozy space obtained cheaper than market price. Kind-hearted neighbors. Stable income. Plus a pleasant shop environment.
It seems that just as good fortune comes all at once, misfortune also comes all at once.
Perhaps it’s time to say goodbye to this life…
Suddenly hearing the quiet sound of wheels rolling, Melly shifted her gaze.
A sleek black sedan crossed the square and stopped in front of the shop.
The emblem affixed to the front of the car gleamed imposingly.
A moment later, a neatly dressed chauffeur got out and opened the rear door.
Then, as a man with a handsome profile raised himself, placing his smoothly polished shoe on the ground, everyone was filled with admiration.
Wilson quickly came down the stairs and bowed his head.
“You’ve arrived, Your Excellency.”
“Call me ‘boss’ here.”
Edric said. As all eyes focused on him, Wilson leaned in and said something in a low voice.
Edric, who had been looking at the shop entrance with satisfied eyes, slowly turned around.
And he was able to meet brown eyes trembling with shock.
“You… how…”
Melly couldn’t continue speaking.
Male lead is a Destined Young Husband (Female-dominant)
One-sentence summary: Wife-master, listen to my explanation!
Li Ruantang, a young lady from a prestigious family, stumbled and fell. When she woke up, she saw a noble and beautiful young man sitting by her bedside, wiping away tears.
The young master had slightly reddened eyes, and his every move exuded charm.
The sight made Li Ruantang’s eyes hot and her heart flutter. After all, she had made a bet with the young master Meng from the neighboring family. If she couldn’t marry a husband before the end of the year, she would have to admit defeat and give up the jade she had worked so hard to obtain.
Outside the window, the flowers were in full bloom.
Rather than losing the bet, the jade, and her face, Li Ruantang calculated that it would be better to seek marriage with the young master in front of her, killing three birds with one stone.
…
Meng Jun never thought that an accident during a spring outing would lead to them rolling down a cliff and into a river, yet still survive.
Now they were trapped in an unknown village, and Meng Jun had overheard that the family who had rescued them had their own intentions.
After all, it was Li Ruantang who had lost her mind and sought marriage first. He was only trying to protect himself!
Glancing at Li Ruantang, who was listing her own merits, the young husband’s voice softened, and he blushed as he lied, “W-wife-master, Wife-master, don’t you remember me?”
The young husband’s voice was clear and handsome, coaxing Li Ruantang’s heart to be soft and sweet, and she spared no effort to protect him.
It wasn’t until they returned to the capital that Li Ruantang suddenly remembered.
When they had fallen off the cliff, in order not to implicate Wei Yunruo, whom he secretly admired, the young husband had instead pulled her, who was slightly farther away, down the cliff with him…
Short summary by Yuushi L: Initially, the male lead (ML) liked another girl, while the female lead (FL) liked the ML. Both fell off a cliff. The FL temporarily lost her memory, and the ML, fearing others might take advantage of him, claimed FL was his wife while they were staying in a village. Later, when they returned home, the FL regained her memories and remembered that the ML liked someone else, so she kept her distance from him. However, during their time living together in the countryside, the ML’s view of the FL had completely changed. From this point, his pursuit of the FL begins.
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