While the call was cut off as she was receiving the bag, Ji An pulled out a turquoise box along with her phone.
“This is a music box. I bought it from Dongmyo because it has a unique shape and I wanted to show you, but I forgot about it.”
When Ji An opened the lid of the music box and wound the key, the whale in the center started spinning around and the melody of Clementine flowed.
She hummed along to the melody and asked,
“Do you know this song?”
“I do.”
“I like this song because it’s about a father and daughter. When I was young, I cried a lot while listening to this song.”
Ji An grabbed Dan Woo’s hand, slipped her fingers in between his, and hummed along to the song.
Listening to her humming voice, Dan Woo pulled her fidgeting small hand and pressed his lips to the back of her hand.
“I like Dongmyo and I also like going to Cheonggyecheon. I feel refreshed when I hear the sound of flowing water. Plus, there are a lot of people there. Lovers, families, friends. It feels lonely yet not lonely. I feel something similar in the attic.”
“Really?”
Ji An’s voice, which had been chatting for a long time, gradually slowed down, then stopped, and her breath was even. Her eyes, which had been fighting off sleep, were now quietly closed.
Dan Woo looked at Ji An, who had fallen asleep leaning on the sofa.
Staring calmly at her pale face where her eyelashes had landed, he saw her lips that he had repeatedly kissed and released.
Dan Woo rebuked his gaze that lingered on Ji An’s lips.
What are you trying to do to a sleeping person? If you’re happy just looking, then just do that.
He touched Ji An’s lips that were pouting, as if to receive a kiss. Then his hand traced her cheek, ear, and her white neck in succession.
Rrrrr. Rrrrr.
When the phone rang again, Ji An opened her eyes to see a smiling Dan Woo in her view.
“Did I sleep?”
“A little. I should have turned off the phone.”
Ji An opened her phone with a distorted face at the word ‘Jenice’ displayed on the screen.
“Hello.”
Ji An chewed her inner lip awkwardly, her expression full of doubt.
An awkward silence ensued, as neither Jenice who made the call nor Ji An who answered it said anything.
The person who broke the silence was Jenice.
Do you have time tonight? It’s not about asking for help with my schedule, I just want to see you.
“Me? How are you planning to meet? You know what mom would say.”
Ji An circled around saying that their mom would disapprove. But Jenice told her not to worry.
Mom’s not home today, she’s going to a reunion.
After finishing her tour, Jenice stayed in Korea for a few months. During that time, she was active in broadcasting and held solo concerts.
Eun Ji sometimes left the house to attend social gatherings, including the college alumni meeting she had been postponing.
“Is it mom’s gathering week? She must be busy. Should I go to the practice room?”
No. I’m skipping practice. I want to go to the house where you live.
“My house? ……Alright. I’ll text you the address. The manager will be driving you, right?”
Ji An hesitated about refusing the sudden request to visit her house, and awkwardly provided an answer.
She couldn’t flatly refuse since Jenice’s voice was overly excited and she had never called about something like this before.
Ah! It’s a secret from mom.
When the worldfamous Jenice asked her to keep a secret while doing something behind their mom’s back, Ji An couldn’t help but chuckle.
It will be me who gets scolded if mom finds out.
She must know what she’s getting into, right?
She was curious why Jenice would want to come to her house, but without a word, she sent her address by text.
“What was that call? Do you have a plan?”
“Yes, it seems like I have one. …My sister, she’s coming home.”
Dan Woo was taken aback by Ji An’s unexpected appointment, but he decided not to say anything else as he had resolved to let her go home.
Dan Woo’s car took longer than usual to arrive at Lake Tower.
Many intense kisses were exchanged before leaving the penthouse, and the lengthy kisses in the car at the parking lot delayed them further.
Dan Woo had aggressively invaded her lips throughout, it was astonishing how much they had restrained themselves. Ji An was equally intoxicated by their sweet kisses.
Her mouth regretted that she couldn’t refuse Jenice’s appointment.
Dan Woo pulled Ji An’s hand and held it, pointing to the traffic light with his other hand.
“Wait here until the signal changes, then go in.”
When she leaned her head on the seat and turned, Ji An looked at Dan Woo in the same manner.
Both holding back their reluctance to part, they carried faint smiles on their faces and took in each other’s images.
As the red light on the traffic signal changed to green, Dan Woo let go of Ji An’s hand.
“Be careful when you go in. I will be free for a few days and will be able to come down to the library.”
Ji An couldn’t hide her delight and responded with a smile, pressing her lips to Dan Woo’s cheek.
“Take care. I’ll call you.”
Tae Yoon, hearing of Dan Woo’s return, entered the penthouse to find his boss.
“CEO.”
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.”
