After the item selection meeting, 윤우연 returned to her desk to find a warm cup of coffee waiting for her.
Since that day, things had become awkward with 우식. Although their paths didn’t usually cross, lately, he seemed to be avoiding her more.
Yet, he hadn’t forgotten about the coffee.
…Too soft-hearted. Silly.
윤우연 picked up the coffee and headed to the press room.
염 기자, buried in a pile of documents, was sound asleep, drooling. 윤우연 sat down in front of him, accustomed to the sight. She picked a thick book from the shelf and started to read it slowly.
She planned to wait until 염 기자 woke up, but he soon lifted his head, having only been in a light sleep.
Rubbing his eyes and stretching, 염 기자 put on his glasses, which were carelessly thrown next to the documents.
“Why didn’t you wake me up?”
“You looked too tired.”
윤우연 scanned the surroundings, found a tissue, and handed it to 염 기자. Pointing near his mouth with her thumb, he quickly wiped off the drool.
“Being tired is routine. Did the meeting end?”
“Yes, just a bit ago.”
“Couldn’t resist your curiosity again, huh?”
윤우연 nodded.
The construction site collapse was slowly fading from public attention, but she wanted to reignite the issue before it was completely forgotten.
“How’s it going?”
염 기자 took off his glasses, wiped them with his T-shirt, and put them back on, repeating this process several times.
“I’ve passed the information to a trustworthy prosecutor, so we just have to wait.”
“Who?”
“손재민 from the Seoul District Prosecutors’ Office.”
“Ah, the ‘Grim Reaper’?”
“Yep. I sensed something special about him from our first meeting. He’s been spreading his wings in that world. Now that I’ve baited the hook, I’m sure he’ll bite soon.”
“What about our approach?”
“There’s a place in Jamsil called ‘미인정’, where chaebol families, politicians, and legal bigwigs often sneak in and out.”
“미인정?”
염 기자 scratched his forehead with his pen.
He usually was careful when talking about confidential information, but he tended to forget that when 윤우연 was around. He pursed his lips.
“It’s not a registered business, more like a private drinking place. They only let their circle in. Officially, it’s just a house.”
“Illegal?”
He shook his head.
“From the outside, it’s a regular house. Inside, it’s a different story. They serve food and drinks for free, so if caught, they just claim they were visiting a friend’s house.”
“So, they must receive other favors in return?”
“Of course. I’ve heard once you step inside, it turns into a real ‘미인정’. It’s perfect for secretive conversations, so I’m thinking of digging into that.”
He left the rest unsaid, but 윤우연 understood.
Soon, more solid evidence would emerge, and the prosecution would announce a rigorous investigation. Meanwhile, they would infiltrate 미인정 to capture their conversations.
Exposing 신 장관’s dark side would escalate public interest and the investigation.
Such cases required building momentum first.
염 기자 removed the pen from behind his right ear and glanced up at 윤우연.
“If Minister 신 was indeed involved in this 정음 case, imagine how he must be feeling now? There must have been a leak from the prosecution. Dirty water always flows in one direction.”
“They’ll try to meet the prosecutors soon, to pressure them into covering up the case quickly.”
“Exactly. That’s why, 윤 앵커, you might have to step in.”
“Me? How?”
“Try getting some help from 차 대표.”
“…”
His intention was transparent. So this was why he kept insisting on me getting close to 차 대표, something he usually wouldn’t do?
He had advised me to check out the photos that heated up the internet a few days ago.
It all seemed to be part of 염 기자’s plan, even knowing about my unintentional encounter with 차 대표.
염 기자 had the keenest intuition in the press room.
The place called 미인정 was essentially a live scene of political and business collusion.
It was obvious how many leeches must have attached themselves to 차태경 대표, who recently joined the competition for the leadership of 명산.
He must know the location of 미인정. He had also been the one to provide information on the relationship between Minister 신 and 정음 Construction.
Looking back, it all seemed to be part of his strategy.
Knowing I would end up asking for his help, yet pretending to be oblivious and demanding more in return – his shameless words came back to me.
윤우연 pondered for a moment.
“I wonder if 차 대표 would help?”
“Ask him. I bet he’d do anything if 윤 앵커 asks.”
“Me?”
She asked, surprised.
The close-up photo wasn’t even clear, and it was just a few shots from a distance, but 염 기자 seemed to have seen it all.
“Oh. Did he meet me in front of the director’s office? Even so, how could that be visible?”
She questioned further.
“You can see that?”
He burst into laughter.
“Of course not. It’s just an occupational habit, taking a stab in the dark.”
“Ah, really.”
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.”
