“What is it?”
Sol-hee was secretly tense. Ki-woo slightly lowered his body and lowered his voice.
“Keep dating Joo-han and Eun-su, and go on to marriage. Or, if not, you’ll be responsible for ‘You guys broke up after making such a fuss.'”
Ah, it was about that couple. For some reason, Sol-hee, feeling relieved, immediately replied.
“I’m expecting somewhere in the middle of that.”
“Middle? What’s in the middle?”
“Something like a long-term relationship without marriage? Since I gained some insights last time, I don’t think we’ll break up again, but I also don’t think we’ll get married.”
“Why?”
“Well… because Eun-su doesn’t want to get married.”
“Really?”
Ki-woo’s eyes were genuinely interesting.
Well, Ki-woo wouldn’t have talked about marriage with Eun-su.
Sol-hee took a bite of the ice cream that came out for dessert.
She usually didn’t like sweet things that much, but this one had a clean aftertaste, making it enjoyable.
“Eun-su said that. She said that dating is like a team project, but marriage is like a pressure interview where you’re the only one being interviewed. Just thinking about it makes it hard to breathe, and even breathing feels like it will be scrutinized.”
“Do you have similar thoughts?”
“Well, rather than worrying in advance about the institution of marriage, I follow the principle of thinking about it when the right person comes along. I won’t harm my life and career; if there’s someone suitable, living together in the same house won’t be bad. I can do it if it happens, and I don’t have to. Anyway, I understand why Eun-su says that.”
Ki-woo nodded sincerely.
I’m somewhat close to that, he said casually.
“But, even so, I think Joo-han can do it.”
“…?”
“Just a feeling. Let’s bet. What do you want to bet?”
He’s still playing with knees and spending a lot of money, and he hasn’t come to his senses yet.
Sol-hee chuckled.
“Okay. If seniors get married, then I’ll…”
“You’ll?”
“I’ll give a congratulatory gift.”
“That’s an obvious thing to say. Were you planning not to?”
“Oh, what else is there to do if they get married? So, let’s not do useless bets like that.”
It’s not fun. Ki-woo grumbled.
Sol-hee, who sent a somewhat pitiful glance, put down the teaspoon she had in her hand and lightly bumped fists.
“But isn’t it a bit strange?”
“What is?”
“When I watch them dating. Ah, I’ve actually been monitoring the program until a little while ago.”
Ki-woo continued to gesture for her to go on.
Anyway, as I watched, I thought I might be dry. When the other person likes it so much that they could die, they look pretty enough to die, and it feels like they might die without them, I didn’t really understand that feeling. Of course, to some extent, it’s nice, so I date, but, you know. For example, if the temperature of love that others think of is at least 100 degrees, then for me, 50 degrees is enough.”
“Well, that could be true.”
“So, like Joo-han and Eun-su, seeing them go through all the ups and downs, it feels like it exceeds 200 degrees. When I see such a relationship, I wonder what kind of relationship I had. Does meeting a truly loved partner make you like that? If so, have I never met a person I truly liked, or is it just that I’m set to this level of temperature no matter who I meet? Well, something like that.”
Sol-hee, who had been talking for a long time, hesitated.
Even though she didn’t drink alcohol, why was she talking like this, and suddenly her cheeks felt hot.
It was even more so because of Ki-woo’s gaze, which was looking at her seriously as if he was listening to some very important words.
“Just like that. Why are you looking at me like that?”
Slightly confused, she spoke in a slightly sassy tone.
Ki-woo shrugged as if he didn’t care much.
“It’s just interesting. It’s so similar to what I used to think that it gave me a bit of a chill. If there’s a difference, I thought, ‘Ah, 50 degrees was too low, it should be around 70 degrees,’ or something like that…?”
Sol-hee unexpectedly chuckled.
“Whether it’s 50 degrees or 70 degrees. To others, it doesn’t seem like such a meaningful difference.”
“That’s right. As you said, it seems like everyone considers 100 degrees as the baseline. The person I met before said I was selfish, that I made people feel too lonely. Honestly, I was shocked. It felt unfair in a way.”
“Oh, I also heard that kind of comment and was shocked.”
“I didn’t get shocked.”
“Why are you suddenly drawing such a clear line?”
As Sol-hee rose, signaling to leave, Ki-woo nonchalantly put on his jacket.
Since they didn’t drink alcohol, Ki-woo kindly offered to take her home. Sol-hee accepted his offer graciously.
While sitting in the front passenger seat of Ki-woo’s car on their way, Sol-hee, glancing around, brought up the topic.
“But, that incident back then.”
“That incident?”
“Strictly speaking, it was a crime, right? I wondered how you could just let it go like that.”
Um, Ki-woo murmured quietly, tapping the steering wheel twice with his finger.
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.”
