Miran chuckled, looking at Ha-yeon with eyes like a rabbit. Her face was full of pride, boasting that she had prepared lunchboxes that wouldn’t lose to anyone.
“I feel like I’ll eagerly wait for lunchtime. What should we do?”
Ha-yeon laughed, hugging the lunchbox emitting a delicious aroma. Two large four-tiered lunchboxes, an icebox containing cold drinks, and even a fruit basket!
It might be a bit excessive, but having a lot to eat is a good thing. Ha-yeon, with a very subjective thought, lifted the lunchbox to move it.
“Oh, I’ll do it.”
Junwon, who had just entered the kitchen, snatched the lunchbox bag from Hayeon.
“It’s okay. I’ll carry it together. And you asked me to speak comfortably.”
Unlike Miran, who treated her casually, Junwon always maintained proper etiquette. While it was nice to be treated politely, for some reason, Hayeon felt a sense of distance. She wished Junwon would address her more comfortably, but Junwon had a different thought.
“Once you lower the level of formality, it’s hard to raise it again.”
If things went well between Hayeon and Minje, externally, she might end up hearing respectful terms like “samo-nim” (madam). It was already challenging for Junwon to use honorifics when addressing Minje publicly, and it would be even more awkward and difficult with Hayeon. So, thinking ahead, it was probably better not to lower the level of formality.
With such thoughts, Junwon nodded his head. Human affairs were unpredictable.
Seeing that Minje didn’t give any attention to the women around him, there was a good chance for Hayeon. Especially, Junwon believed there was a sufficient possibility when considering that Minje hadn’t easily fallen for the woman who held a position as a standing director in the Korean Art Association.
“The director has some work, so he will come straight to the painting room as soon as he finishes.”
With a clear mind, Junwon smiled and spoke to Hayeon.
“Oh, yes. It seems you’ve been busy lately.”
It was difficult to have a long conversation with Minje in May since it was the event season. At best, she could see him for about 30 minutes during the night, thanks to private tutoring.
Still, it was good that Minje was diligently fulfilling his role as a father.
“If you’re ready, let’s go!”
Jiho urged them with a rather excited expression. Hayeon was pleased to see the child’s face brightening up these days.
“Okay, let’s go!”
Holding Jiho’s hand like cheering, Hayeon joined him.
“Don’t get hurt and have a good time.”
Miran shook hands with a smile.
“It would be nice if you could come with us.”
When Hayeon said that with a lingering look, Miran changed her expression as if to ask when she had ever smiled and spoke seriously.
“I said my knee joints are precious, right?”
“W-well, of course.”
Hesitatingly, Hayeon added one more word, then quickly left the kitchen, not knowing how Miran would react.
Normally, the facility operated as an experiential learning center, and international flags were fluttering. The facility had been fully prepared for the sports day, renting the space from the kindergarten.
The stage decorations made with air bounces were colorful and eye-catching. Game items that could attract children’s interest were scattered around.
“Wow.”
Jiho’s eyes sparkled with anticipation. Unable to resist the sparkling eyes of the child, Hayeon tousled Jiho’s hair.
“Is there more to see than last year?”
To which Jiho responded with a playful smile, “Well, last year, you didn’t attend?”
“Yes.”
Seeing Jiho looking up with a facial expression that seemed to ask, Hayeon couldn’t help but feel a sudden surge of guilt. No matter how busy she was, it wasn’t right! Why would they not allow Jiho to attend kindergarten events? Hayeon was irritated with Minje for no reason. Junwon, who had been watching Hayeon’s expressions change rapidly, felt it was not good and discreetly intervened.
“Cough, at that time, Jiho caught a cold and had a high fever, so he couldn’t attend.”
“Ah… I see.”
Hayeon quickly adjusted her expression, realizing that she had misunderstood. If the misunderstanding hadn’t been cleared up, she might have angrily confronted Minje as soon as he arrived, like an enraged bull.
In an irrational state, you would have surely muttered things like not being qualified as a dad, being irresponsible, and so on. Just thinking about it was a precarious moment.
“If he couldn’t attend because he was sick, you should have told me sooner!”
Hayeon awkwardly smiled at Jiho, who was looking at her, and as Minje entered the parking lot, his handsome figure came into view. A man with a stunning appearance that didn’t match the clear blue sky and fluttering international flags. He got out of the car and walked confidently toward them. It was just a walk, but his arms and legs were naturally elongated, making it look like a sophisticated model walk.
From a distance, Jiho’s homeroom teacher, who was with Jiho’s class, somehow knew about it and rushed over as soon as Minje arrived.
“Oh, you’ve come. Jiho’s father.”
Huh, I never knew the teacher’s voice could be so syrupy sweet. Hayeon was amazed that the tone of the teacher, with whom she had chatted a few times, could change so much.
“Hello, teacher.”
Minje politely bowed with courtesy. Seeing this, the teacher, who had smiled so much that her eyes disappeared, began praising Jiho as soon as she saw him.
“Do you know how well-behaved Jiho is? He’s quick to understand, gets along well with friends, and he’s such a model student.”
“Oh, really?”
When Minje responded with a somewhat stiff face and asked for clarification, the teacher, embarrassed by the sudden change in Minje’s expression, went silent.
Watching from the side, Hayeon inwardly chuckled. If Minje had heard that Jiho was an uncontrollable troublemaker at kindergarten, he would have been relieved. But the teacher, who didn’t know anything about that, tried hard to change the atmosphere.
“Even at the beginning of the semester, Jiho’s face used to be dark, and I was worried. Now, he has brightened up, and I’m so relieved.”
“So, are you saying that Jiho was gloomy at ordinary times, teacher?”
Now Minje’s expression was beyond stiff; it was rigid. Seeing this, the teacher, who had run over with a flushed face after spotting Minje, mumbled unknowingly.
“No, why would you come to that conclusion…”
The teacher’s face, which had smiled so much earlier, lost all its warmth when she discovered Minje.
Watching this scene from the side, Junwon let out a wry laugh and breathed a sigh.
With this kind of attitude, who would want to stick around!
When male lead is the homewrecker
“I know she doesn’t love him.”
I’ve read the novel below twice already. Girls, I’m highly recommending it to you!
The female lead? Not a good person.
The second male lead? Not a good person.
The male lead? Willingly plays the third party, breaking up the female and second male lead’s relationship despite all the warnings from his friends—so yeah, he’s definitely not a good person either.
Basically, nobody in this novel is simple-minded or without scheming.
The female lead starts off as the male lead’s secretary, but don’t worry—later on, she takes over the company while the male lead steps back to support her. He won’t steal her spotlight, overshadow her, or dull her shine.
I love novels where men are out here snatching wigs, tearing each other down, and going to war just to win the female lead’s affection. And this is exactly that kind of novel. Most of Hai Dai Ran’s works have this dynamic. You’ll see the male characters’ emotions being pushed to the absolute extreme.
There’s even a scene where the second male lead exposes the male lead online for being a homewrecker. The brotherhood immediately gangs up on him, dragging him through the mud. I find it compelling —it completely flips reality on its head, where usually, women are the ones fighting over a man and getting torn apart by the sisterhood.
For me, female leads in the novels I read should only struggle in their careers, not in love. But if the brainless romantics in the story are all men? I have zero complaints.
I’ve pretty much read all of Hai Dai Ran’s novels and even translated all of them—her works are just my thing. I’ll slowly upload everything here. One day, when my website is official, I hope I can invite her to join as one of the star authors.
Here’s the story synopsis:
One-line summary: She is his lifelong obsession, to the point where he was willing to be a third wheel, scorned by society, just to wedge his way into her relationship with her fiancé.
Cold-hearted and indifferent female lead + Scheming and subservient CEO male lead
Intro 1:
“I know she doesn’t love him.”
With blood trickling from his clenched fist, Rong Xiu gazed at the woman before him, his eyes clouded with anguish. Hidden in the wardrobe, he had witnessed Fan Xia – the woman he desperately loved – in an intimate embrace with her fiancé. Yet his heart still yearned for her, defying all reason.
Fan Xia, the elegant and composed assistant, carried something mysterious in her eyes whenever she looked at her fiancé, Wen Lan Sheng. Strange occurrences began to surface – secret meetings with the young Gu Jin Yi, an unexplained withdrawal of 5,000 yuan… Then suddenly, her fiancé’s sister, Wen Jing, violently attacked her.
In this matriarchal society, Rong Xiu had risen to become the chairman of a powerful healthcare conglomerate, breaking through gender prejudices. But for the first time, he willingly stepped into the shadows as the other man, disregarding his friends’ warnings to become her secret lover.
Because he had discovered the truth – Fan Xia wasn’t the pure angel everyone believed her to be. And perhaps, he was the only one capable of helping her execute her mysterious plan…
Intro 2:
Rong Xiu’s biggest regret in life was missing out on Fan Xia.
He secretly loved Fan Xia for 7 years.
Watched her go public with her boyfriend.
Watched her kiss her boyfriend at their wedding.
Until that man blissfully nestled in Fan Xia’s arms, obtaining everything he could only dream of.
The crazy jealousy stripped away his hidden secret love, layer by layer, burning like wildfire.
Fan Xia, how can I have you!
【Reading and Trigger Warning Guide】
1. Female dominant, male submissive, male pregnancy
2. Male lead schemes his way to the top, male competition
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Please help me, I want to bring you the best possible things.
If you find any chapter or novel with poor translation and editing quality, let me know by commenting directly under that novel or chapter. I will retranslate it as soon as possible.
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