The phone vibrated, displaying “Chairman” as the caller ID. It was a call from the chairman of Taehan University, Korea’s most prestigious private institution.
Siyun let out a small sigh before answering the phone.
“Yes, Grandfather.”
“Hello, Siyun. Have you been well? Have you eaten?”
“It’s time for dinner now. Why are you still awake, Grandfather?”
Siyun glanced at the clock on the table. He knew his grandfather was deliberately calling at this hour, waiting until he was free to talk.
“As you get older, sleep eludes you.”
“I’m sorry I couldn’t discuss it with you earlier, but I’m dealing with the lawsuit with Uncle.”
“The only two descendants, and yet you can’t get along.”
Despite his gentle voice, Chairman Kim expressed his discomfort.
“To others, it just looks like a fight over inheritance.”
“I’ll resolve it.”
“How?”
“This new cultural foundation I’m opening. Leave it to me.”
“Why the sudden interest in the foundation?”
Chairman Kim was surprised. Siyun had been postponing returning home and working for the foundation, but now he wanted to take charge.
“I plan to donate Father’s artworks to the foundation for public display, rather than let them be traded for personal gain.”
Siyun didn’t want his father’s legacy to be exploited for personal wealth or investment.
“Good, I knew you had a plan. As long as you keep your promise to return home, I’ll support you.”
“The promise to return home!”
“You promised to come back with a bride, remember?”
When Siyun postponed his return, citing his professorship, Chairman Kim gave him two more years on the condition that he would return with a bride.
“That promise is now holding me back.”
“I need to see your marriage settled. Do you have someone in mind?”
If Siyun admitted there was no one, his involvement in the foundation could be jeopardized. If rumors of his single status spread, he would become a target for families seeking wealth and prestige.
“Get married first, then start with the foundation.”
“I am seeing someone.”
It was a hasty lie, not wanting to be forced into an arranged marriage.
Chairman Kim laughed, satisfied.
“Is she a foreigner?”
“…”
“If you’re happy with her, that’s fine.”
Siyun felt the weight of his grandfather’s trust.
“Let’s have a big celebration when you come. We’ll invite TV stations, newspapers, even the internet, right?”
Siyun’s grip on the phone tightened. His grandfather trusted his choice, even without knowing what he was thinking.
The situation was bound to escalate. Unlike his modest lifestyle, Chairman Kim was planning to invite the media to the wedding. Siyun quickly added, “I don’t want anything extravagant.”
“Okay.”
“We’ll have a simple ceremony here and then head back.”
Siyun could hear the chairman’s light breath on the phone, probably surprised. However, Chairman Kim soon regained his composure with a firm voice.
“Do you really like her that much?”
He didn’t ask who she was, only reaffirming Siyun’s feelings.
“Yes? …Yes.”
“Then it’s settled. I’ve interfered too much in my children’s marriages; I won’t do the same with my grandson. The sooner, the better.”
Now, Siyun found himself in an absurd situation, having to marry a non-existent partner upon returning to Korea. He didn’t want a forced marriage after finding his father’s artworks. Perhaps a temporary deception was the lesser evil.
Complicated thoughts over the past few days about whom to meet might have influenced Siyun’s unusual daydreaming about the woman in front of him. He was also struck by an odd sense of familiarity, watching her under the parking lot lights.
“You’re pretty.”
Siyun was surprised at his own words, which slipped out effortlessly.
“What?”
He calmly shifted his gaze to the embassy building, illuminated by lights.
“It’s pretty. The lights.”
Mijoo turned to look, her face flushing at the thought of being complimented. The embassy’s white marble and granite shone beautifully under the lights.
Siyun also felt his heart warm. He disliked covering up his instinctual compliment as if it meant nothing. Mijoo tried to escape the awkwardness by playfully tossing her hair, releasing a light scent of shampoo.
“Why are you examining everything about me?”
Mijoo felt uneasy under his scrutiny.
However, Siyun had a different thought. Would teasing her cause her to pout or cry? He remembered teasing girls in elementary school until they cried. He wanted to tease her more and chuckled at his own childish thought.
“It’s funny.”
“What?”
“Coming out for some air and having two women follow me.”
Siyun tried to lighten the mood with his jest.
“Really, I didn’t follow you on purpose. I didn’t mean to see anything.”
“…”
Mijoo protested, but Siyun’s silent gaze made her feel increasingly uncomfortable. The best course was to lightly apologize and leave.
“I apologize for unintentionally seeing the two of you. But this is my car, and I really need to go babysit to make ends meet for this month’s rent.”
Mijoo gathered her senses and checked her wristwatch.
‘I’m going to be late.’
When scheming men desperately battle for her favor in the male harem
This one’s also on my reread list! The rivalry, scheming between the men in the imperial harem are just as intense and thrilling as in classic palace drama novels, where concubines fight to the death. Give it a read, girls! I promise you won’t be disappointed.
Synopsis:
“I am not worthy of her… but I still want to be by her side, even if only as a loyal dog…”
Those were the painful whispers of Yue Guanyi – the proud Crown Prince of the Great Qi, who was torn between deep love and a guilty conscience. Despite holding the supreme power of the Imperial Guard, he still could not forget the dark past when he was sold into a brothel.
Fate played a cruel twist when Qiu Shuzhi – a young female official who had just passed the imperial examinations with top honors – stepped into his life. She did not know that she was the one who had saved him from a tragic fate many years ago. And now, her heart was the target of pursuit for both Yue Guanyi and the powerful Empress Dowager Qin Qing.
While Yue Guanyi only dared to silently care for and protect the one he loved from afar, the Empress Dowager Qin Qing openly expressed his feelings and did not hesitate to take advantage of his power to approach Qiu Shuzhi. The covert struggle between the two most powerful forces in the imperial court began…
Trigger warning: All men in this novel are yandere style.
_____
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.
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
