Joon was staring at me intently. Soon, his eyes, like tightly closed lips, seemed to thin out a bit, showing dissatisfaction. He lowered his head and began tapping the keypad of his phone that he was holding.
As soon as Joon looked away from his phone screen, my phone made a ringing sound.
[What time did you go to bed yesterday?]… What am I supposed to say? I laughed at the meaningless content. I had just rested my head on the desk for a moment, feeling my body relax. Joon, who didn’t know the circumstances, seemed unaware that I had fallen over again due to lack of sleep.
I raised two thumbs on the screen to reply, taking a moment to organize my thoughts. Just below, another message followed.
[You walked me to my doorstep, said goodnight, and now you’re already asleep.]Yet, he added a cute tease, asking if I was sleeping even now. I laughed. Just a while ago, I heard from Jung Eun at the cafe why my eyes were so droopy today. Even though I had just fallen asleep.
With a smile on my lips, Joon, with his raised corners, gazed into the distance through the glass window. However, at that moment, Joon, who seemed to be a staff member, was seen holding documents and chatting with someone. I watched for a moment, thinking it would end soon, but he walked along the corridor, changing his position entirely.
Is the conversation getting longer?
To Joon, who had gone to a place out of my sight, I sent a message that he could freely fly instead of me.
Though just a few characters, my shoulders, which had slumped, straightened, and a smile began to spread on my face.
Between exchanging short messages with Joon, I quickly replied to two work-related emails that had dropped into my inbox.
However, suddenly, my gaze shifted to the glass wall where Joon had stood and returned with a sense of emptiness. A sense of longing for something I wanted to see filled my chest. As if denying that emotion, I turned my head again. Leaning on the desk, I looked at the monitor.
The small window at the bottom left began to catch my attention again. My hesitant hand kept involuntarily turning the mouse wheel upwards.
Empty movement.
I had been turning the mouse wheel like that several times. But, oh no, due to one mistake, the wheel accidentally turned downwards. The monitor immediately displayed the poster for Joon’s movie, ‘the train,’ sharply.
It was an unexpected moment to face that poster again.
An old train covered in rust, standing still between winter and spring.
It was the image of Joon’s first love. A train that had been confined to winter. A train unable to approach spring. An old train that had gradually begun to rust away in that state.
I released my arms that were resting on my chin and looked at the distant poster. I imagined myself on this train. The place this train wanted to go was probably where spring blossomed.
Come to think of it, Haru had mentioned that “haru” meant spring in Japanese. A train heading towards spring. A train heading towards Haru…
“Are you watching it?”
I startled, my shoulders jumping up noticeably. I was so surprised that I couldn’t even make a sound. It was a sensation that resonated through every cell. In that moment, I placed my hands on my startled chest and buried my face on the desk.
After barely catching my breath, when I turned my head to the side, I saw Joon standing there.
“Oh, sorry. Should I have come calling your name loudly from there?”
Perhaps my eyes that found him were larger than I thought, as Joon chuckled.
“Work hard, you said? I’ve been working hard. But…”
With a slow blink, Joon’s gaze, separating from me, went directly to the monitor I had been watching.
There was no change in Joon’s expression as he glanced up. He seemed to be staring at his own movie poster, which I had seen dozens, if not hundreds, of times.
What could he be thinking? Was he reviewing each scene from his own movie?
Suddenly, Joon looked at me with a side glance.
“Iharu, don’t watch it.”
I couldn’t respond to your softly uttered words with a childish firmness. Your gaze, seemingly firm yet harboring deep emotions, made my heart ache even in that brief moment.
Just looking at the poster made it hard for me to think about watching the movie. Still, I hadn’t expected to hear such words from the person who made the movie. The question of why I shouldn’t watch it lingered on my tongue but soon retreated unspoken.
I conveyed the unspoken words in my eyes and pressed Joon firmly, as if asking if he was hurt right now. Did he feel it? Joon avoided my gaze.
“Oh, Director Kim! Haha, you were here first.”
Suddenly, a loud voice came, and my head turned as if drawn to it. Kang PDnim was entering the office with a hefty stack of documents.
Unlike Joon, Kang PDnim was the type to speak loudly about business as soon as he opened the door, so I had never missed his timing so far. That was true today as well.
Male lead Asks for a Divorce Every Day
It’s not often you come across a plot like this in the female-dominant genre — make sure to check it out!
This is a novel I’m planning to reread as well.
The male lead is strong, skilled in martial arts, and not the usual fragile type you often see in matriarchal novels.
Meanwhile, the female lead is a scientist—rational and logical. Even when she falls for the male lead, she doesn’t let her emotions cloud her decisions.
If you push through the first few chapters, you’ll gradually find the story really intriguing.
It has a mix of mystery, detective elements, and romance.
The author’s writing style is like crafting a puzzle—except they deliberately leave out a few pieces, making it hard to predict what happens next, yet keeping you hooked.
In the end, everything will come together and be explained.
One-sentence summary: Wife, stop playing with beakers and look at me!
In a laboratory accident, research scientist Zhu Wansheng accidentally travels to a matriarchal world. The original owner of the body is an eighteen-year-old only daughter of a wealthy rouge merchant, already married with a handsome young man.
Zhu Wansheng grins: Nice! She always said she was heaven’s favorite granddaughter. After a life of toil in her previous life, she can enjoy blessings in this one.
However, her joy lasts no more than three seconds as bad news arrives: the original owner’s family is about to go bankrupt, and her husband wants a divorce.
Even worse, she’s stuck with a research system full of restrictions.
Zhu Wansheng: ? Is this the destiny of a research dog?
——
Faced with this mess, Zhu Wansheng pours herself a bowl of wine to drown her sorrows. In her drunken haze, her husband arrives.
His figure is imposing, holding a long sword, with a dignified air that captivates Zhu Wansheng.
Gu Yingqing, however, looks at the alcohol-reeking Zhu Wansheng with undisguised disgust and coldly asks, “Divorce or not?” The intoxicated Zhu Wansheng mumbles vaguely, “I think… it’s not… it’s not… impossible!”
——
The next day, after sobering up, Zhu Wansheng is full of energy, rolling up her sleeves ready to make a big move. As for yesterday? She has no memory of it.
Zhu Wansheng is ambitious; a research dog fears nothing!
Upgrading rouge, extracting fragrances, producing perfumes, researching lipsticks… all shall bow to the power of modern technology!
The original owner’s dying rouge shop is revitalized. Her mother is pleased and with a wave of her hand, passes on the family business to her. As she takes control and her experimental results gain popularity, it’s the pinnacle of her life…
——
But there are always those who can’t stand to see her doing well. Jealousy, scheming, assassination attempts – they want nothing less than her life.
The person who has always kept his distance from her suddenly holds her tightly in his arms, eyes full of concern.
She is unharmed, but he falls into a pool of blood…
Zhu Wansheng feels guilty, “I can grant you one wish.”
Gu Yingqing tentatively circles his arms around her, carefully resting his head in the crook of her neck, pleading softly, “I regret it. Can we not divorce?”
Zhu Wansheng: ? When did I agree to a divorce?
[Small Theater]
The newly developed rouge is beautifully packaged, and Zhu Wansheng is eager to try it.
Gu Yingqing suddenly appears: “My lady, may I apply it for you?”
Cool fingertips lightly brush her lips. His Adam’s apple bobs as he leans in for a light bite.
Zhu Wansheng: ?
Gu Yingqing: It smells so good, I wanted to taste it…
On a warm spring day, Zhu Wansheng tries a new perfume: “Spring Night.” Gu Yingqing corners her against a wall.
Warm breath lingers on her neck.
“My lady, from now on, may I test the fragrances for you?”
[Humorous female scientist vs scheming live-in son-in-law male lead]
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
