“Mom.”
“Yeah. Subin.”
“Sorry for making it difficult.”
The gentle voice murmured softly.
“What…?”
“I should have done this earlier… If I had, Mom would have been more comfortable. I only thought about myself too much.”
Knowing that my mere existence was poison to Myungok, I pretended not to know. Even as I watched my deteriorating mom, I silently stood by.
I realized it belatedly when she started threatening Dejung. When she began doing all sorts of despicable things to push away that flawless child, Subin realized it.
That she had to stop her mom. And that it was me who made her like this.
“Now let’s go back to where we belong.”
“…”
“To where we originally were. Okay?”
“…”
Myungok’s face became as blank as if the soul had left her. Only her lips barely twitched.
“Mama can come whenever she feels like it. I’ll go first and wait for you.”
“Subin, how could you do this to me…?”
“Sorry. I want to live my own life now.”
A gentle smile graced Subin’s lips as she spoke effortlessly.
“Y-Your life?”
Tears had gathered in Myungok’s eyes, who had been staring at the empty face. It felt as if her son’s life had been stolen away, even though she only wanted to give him a better life.
“Yeah. Not the life Mom directs me to live, but my real life. Mom, what’s… my real name?”
“W-What…?”
“Not Cha Subin but something else, what is it?”
Myungok’s heart was torn apart into a thousand pieces by Subin’s soft smile. She wished time could turn back to the moments she had prayed so desperately for Cha Subin to be.
“Why do you ask such a thing?”
“I told you. I want to live my life. In Korea, it might be difficult, but I want to live abroad using my real name.”
“…I don’t remember.”
Subin merely chuckled at the stubborn lie. It would seem strange if she easily told her, so Subin just smiled.
“Really? Well, nothing can be done then.”
“…”
“I’ll go. Later… Later, we’ll meet again.”
As Subin slowly stood up, Myungok felt anxious. Unconsciously, she reached out her hand to the air.
“Wh-Where are you going, and how should I find you without knowing?”
Subin raised her eyebrows slightly and looked at Myungok.
“Even if you don’t know, Mom will find me. After all, I’m the mom who can find you even if you hide.”
“…”
“I’ll wait.”
As Subin took steps away, Myungok’s heart fluttered. Unwilling to part with the crying figure, Subin desperately held on.
With a click, she pulled the door handle.
“Choi Subin.”
“…What?”
“Your real name is Choi Subin.”
Subin’s head slowly turned back toward her.
“Great. Much better than Cha Subin.”
A bright smile shone on the face streaked with a single tear.
Wearing a white long-sleeved knit, Subin was laughing with tears streaming down.
After the interview, Dejung returned to the house in Hannam-dong.
There was no one to take care of it, and the withered hydrangeas and the sink without a single drop of water had a somewhat chilly feeling from the moment you entered the house, which had not been touched by human hands for a while.
For no reason, the tip of the nose felt stuffy. The image of Taesang, who had been left alone in this spacious space, was painfully etched in front of my eyes.
Dejung ended up cleaning the house, shaking off unnecessary dust. Ventilating, watering the dying flowers, and brewing coffee that she didn’t want to drink, the house was filled with a savory scent.
When Taesang comes, I hope this house feels like someone has been here. With that thought in mind, busy going up and down the first and second floors, time seemed to pass in the blink of an eye.
“Sigh…”
Dejung made the place more noisy by turning on the TV one last time. Sitting on the sofa to take a short break, her gaze turned to the piano in the corner of the living room.
Although it wasn’t really mentioned.
The accident that day was a painful memory, but it wasn’t a memory she wanted to forget. The moment when she played the piano with Taesang still warmly lingered inside her chest.
Maybe that’s why.
“Later, show me Mr. Taesang playing the piano.”
“Compared to Youngjin’s performance, it will be a level lower.”
“But it’s okay. I want to hear it.”
With a casual remark, she never dreamed that a grand piano would enter the house. Dejung smiled and lightly pressed one of the keys.
Ding a deep sound echoed softly in her ears. She thought about playing a song, but her attention was momentarily diverted by the familiar name flowing out of the TV.
Dejung remained frozen in place, only turning her head.
“Chairman Cha Cheongjin’s retirement declaration is an unusual case of the group leader passing on the management rights during his lifetime, and some speculate that this announcement has been confirmed as a result of the succession structure due to the recent indictment of former headquarters director Yoon Myeongok. Meanwhile, Yoon, who has been handed over to the prosecution, is…”
The media continued to cover Hwaseong’s story for days.
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.]
