Before the annual forum began, Jiwon forced himself to sleep. Although he had a nightmare-free night yesterday, he couldn’t be sure after just one night.
It was unusual for him to go to bed before a big meeting, but as Hyewon suspected, if the underwear was truly the cause of the nightmare, he had no choice but to sleep first.
Knock, knock.
A while later, Edward came to the hospital room to bring the underwear.
Woken up by the knocking sound, Jiwon first checked the clock.
“It’s been two hours.”
Confirming the time that had passed in a flash, he let out a disappointed laugh.
“Did I really have a nightmare because of underwear?”
It was unbelievable that he had been tormented by nightmares to the extent of his life being threatened just because of a letter sewn on a pair of underwear.
It might have been that he slept too briefly, but then again, he didn’t sleep for long on the plane either. He had a dreadful nightmare of hyperventilating after only thirty minutes of sleep, so it wasn’t a matter of sleeping too short.
“Mr. Chairman, your underwear is ready. Is it something you need right away?”
“Yeah.”
“Then I’ll leave. The car is ready, and since the forum starts in an hour, you should move now.”
“Thank you. I’ll go out right away.”
Satisfied with Edward’s preparation of monochrome underwear, Jiwon picked one and put it on. With not much time, he called Hyewon while rolling up the sleeves of his shirt. The silk-blended smooth shirt snugly fit his well-toned arms, and the buttons were fastened one by one.
Hyewon didn’t answer the call until he perfectly put on the shirt.
“Is she having a meeting or something?”
Considering the time, it was already a working hour in Korea.
Breaking the rule of not redialing until the other person called back, Jiwon called her five times while checking the time on his watch before finally closing his phone.
“I find it damn hard to listen to Oh Hyewon’s voice.”
It’s a pity. He wanted to say thank you for saving him.
Jiwon adjusted his tie and left the hospital room.
As the representative of Dataus Korea, it was time to show his face officially.
[Star Icon]The annual forum took place in a luxurious hotel in downtown Hong Kong. Executives from Dataus headquarters and representatives from nearly twenty branch offices gathered to discuss the future vision.
It wasn’t a place to discuss urgent issues or make significant decisions determining the survival of a branch. It was simply an annual event where leaders leading Dataus gathered to meet face to face.
Indeed, it was a place to put a stamp of approval.
However, it was also a place that no one else could replace.
“Hope you’ve been well, Mr. MacKiry. The recent growth rate of the UK branch is impressive. Congratulations.”
“Compared to the Korea branch, it’s a bit lacking. Sales have skyrocketed since Representative Kang Jiwon took office. I can understand why the headquarters wouldn’t want to miss out, hehe!”
Between familiar faces, compliments were exchanged, and between those meeting for the first time, greetings were shared.
Amidst diligent employees shuttling dozens of champagne glasses on a large tray, Jiwon was busy exchanging greetings with the gathering crowd, with no time to spare.
“Hello, Mr. Kang! Your beauty shines brightly again today. What do you eat to radiate light from your face? I get jealous every time I see it.”
Pierre, subtly patting his shoulders, spoke.
As an openly gay person, he had been quite interested in Jiwon for a long time. They had worked together for about a year when he was at the headquarters, and during that time, no matter how much he threw hints, if Jiwon hadn’t been a man with a firm stance, they might have been misunderstood as a couple.
“Stop it, Pierre. Making such a crude joke to someone from a gentleman’s country.”
Someone tried to stop him, but with alcohol in his system, Pierre paid no attention to the dissenting voice.
“A joke? I don’t joke with just anyone. A handsome man like Mr. Kang is not common even in Paris. It’s only natural to be curious about what he eats, what he applies, and what underwear he wears. Oh, do I have to undress to check the color of the underwear? Tsk, tsk.”
With thin fingers, the words flowed down his muscular shoulder, and the touch on the chest, brushing past the shoulders, was so explicit that it was unpleasant.
As Pierre, who teased any handsome man he laid eyes on, attracted attention, the gaze of those around was drawn. Some observed with an interesting gaze, while others watched with a worried look. Half expected Jiwon to get angry, and the other half anticipated he would ignite like fire.
However, with lips lightly stained with champagne, Jiwon was infinitely relaxed.
“If you’re not asking for another purpose, I’ll tell you the secret, Pierre. Let’s meet on the balcony later.”
“Oh, finally accepting my confession?”
“I’ll open the curtains, though.”
“Wahaha!”
Jiwon’s witty response received cheers from the surrounding people. It was an overt rejection to Pierre’s overt advances.
The Male lead Always Seduces Her with His Beauty (Matriarchy)
Xin Jiao Zhou is the leader of the world’s premier sect. She has just experienced betrayal from all sides, was poisoned in an assassination attempt, and faced death squad attacks while the poison was taking effect. After finally clearing out the scum from her sect, she was drugged again while trying to detoxify.
After waking up from a night of unconsciousness, she gained a “beautiful and kind-hearted” husband.
Xin Jiao Zhou: “???”
He fell ill.
She came to see him, bringing breakfast.
As she put down the breakfast and was about to leave, his hand slipped while holding the spoon. “Clank!”
She turned around upon hearing the noise.
He looked up at her, his eyebrows drooping: “My hand… has no strength.”
“Shall I… feed you?” she asked tentatively.
He opened his mouth cheerfully: “Ah—”
Thinking she was drowning, he jumped in without hesitation to save her, but nearly drowned himself. In the end, it was she who swam over to rescue him, giving him air underwater.
After emerging from the water, his ear tips turned red. He lightly brushed his cheek, tucking his sideburns behind his ear, revealing delicate, pink-tinged ear tips. He lowered his gaze, too embarrassed to look at her.
Xin Jiao Zhou: He’s truly beautiful, kind-hearted, and adorable.
A certain someone when disciplining subordinates behind the scenes: “If they don’t obey, just kill them.”
What’s that? She might already have someone she cares about in her heart? A certain someone: Find out who it is, kill them, and then there won’t be anyone.
What? She met a man by the riverside? What? That man even hurt her? A certain someone: Whichever hand hurt her, chop off his entire arm.
Love at first sight without realizing it, gradually falling in love, slowly getting closer…
Family and national grudges, schemes and desires, good and evil, crime and punishment, she and he face the future together, seeking justice with passion!
A naturally dark female lead who could accidentally destroy the world but is actually an honest person VS a weak, pitiful, and helpless but skilled fighter, beautiful white-cut black male lead
My heart is not of stone, how steadfast is your love? — Tao Yuanming “Imitating the Ancients (No. 3)”
— Reading Guide —
Cold female lead & dramatic black lotus with hidden yandere traits male lead
