Chapter 526: Young Master... You Mustn't... I Have... a Daughter... and a Husband...
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 526: Young Master... You Mustn't... I Have... a Daughter... and a Husband...
Gulp, gulp.
Hwangbo Yu-yeon began to drain her full glass in one go.
'Ugh.'
A searing, burning sensation immediately flooded her throat and stomach. For someone who didn't enjoy alcohol, it was an incredibly painful moment.
"......It’s delicious."
However, she didn't let it show. She feared that if she winced now, her lie about being a heavy drinker would be exposed instantly.
"You drink better than I thought. I didn't expect you to knock that back in a single gulp."
Sun-woo spoke with an impressed expression. Usually, with high-proof liquor, people preferred to sip it or mix it rather than take it straight. Seeing her down it so easily naturally drew his admiration.
"I told you... I’m a heavy drinker..."
Hwangbo Yu-yeon managed a small smile at Sun-woo’s praise. She wasn't sure why, but being flattered made her feel good.
"Have another glass."
Pour...
Sun-woo filled her glass once more. She didn't refuse. Soon, her glass was brimming again.
"Shall we clink glasses?"
Feeling the alcohol take hold, Hwangbo Yu-yeon spoke boldly, her face slightly flushed.
"Certainly."
Sun-woo smiled at her spirited suggestion.
Clink.
He raised his glass and tapped it against hers.
Gulp, gulp.
He immediately began to swallow the Nu'er Hong.
"Phew!"
Sun-woo let out an exclamation of satisfaction. The burning sensation in his throat reminded him of the strong liquor he had once drank in the North Sea.
'This is damn good.'
It really was delicious. So much so that he wanted to drink more, and faster. Sun-woo quickly grabbed the bottle to refill his glass, and Hwangbo Yu-yeon’s glass was filled just as rapidly.
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.
.
How much time had passed?
"Young Master... I have... something to say."
Hwangbo Yu-yeon, now thoroughly intoxicated, spoke slowly with a deeply flushed face.
"Please... go ahead."
Sun-woo also spoke with a slight flush. Though less than her, he was clearly feeling the effects of the alcohol as well.
"I’m sorry... I’m so sorry..."
She lowered her head slightly, apologizing repeatedly.
"Sorry for what?" Sun-woo asked, looking puzzled.
"You see... the truth is... I resented you, Young Master..."
"Resented me?"
"Yes... On the day I told you everything... didn't you... leave in such a hurry? Seeing that... I thought you were... so cold... and I resented you... Even though you lent me... the massive sum of 500,000 Nyang... I’m a bad woman..."
Hwangbo Yu-yeon’s eyes began to fill with sadness. She was overwhelmed with guilt for harboring such ungrateful thoughts.
"Ah, no. I think it was a situation where you had every right to be angry. I was the one being rude. I apologize."
"No... no... What did you do wrong that you’re apologizing? I’m the bad one..."
"No, it’s my fault. No matter how urgent it was, I shouldn't have left like that. I lacked consideration."
Sun-woo continued with an awkward expression.
"Actually, at that time, I felt I had to leave immediately to secure the funds. Even for me, gathering 500,000 Nyang on such short notice was going to take a considerable amount of time."
"......Then, the reason you left so quickly was to get the 500,000 Nyang?"
Hwangbo Yu-yeon looked at Sun-woo with trembling eyes.
"Yes... Well, thanks to that, I was somehow able to return it just before the Seven Days and Nights were up."
Sun-woo added with a faint smile.
"............"
Facing that smile, Hwangbo Yu-yeon fell silent. A wave of emotion surged through her. Her guilt intensified. She had spent all that time resenting the man who had rushed off specifically to save her. How could she not feel guilty?
Glisten.
Tears began to well in her eyes. Her overwhelming gratitude and self-reproach had transformed into tears.
"Ugh... I’m sorry... hic... I’m so sorry..."
She began to sob, apologizing to Sun-woo while blaming herself for her ignorant resentment.
"Madam, please, compose yourself."
Sun-woo looked flustered as she started to cry. Seeing Hwangbo Yu-yeon—who was far above him in both seniority and social status—break down in tears seemed to catch him off guard.
"Ugh... hic... I want to... hic... calm down... but I can't."
She barely managed to squeeze the words out through her continuous sobbing. She wanted to stop, but her surging emotions were impossible to control. The mixture of apology, gratitude, and intoxication was shaking her heart relentlessly. She was sorry, and so very thankful.
Watching her, Sun-woo slowly stood up.
Grab.
He pulled the weeping woman into a sudden embrace.
Pat, pat.
Then, he began to gently pat her back with a soft touch.
"It’s alright... I’m fine... So please, stop crying... Madam Hwangbo."
Sun-woo began to soothe her in a gentle voice.
"Ugh... hic... sob..."
Feeling Sun-woo’s touch, Hwangbo Yu-yeon buried herself in his chest. She began to let her pent-up emotions out against his shirt, slowly calming down until her sobbing finally ceased.
.
.
.
.
How long had she cried?
Eventually, having stopped her tears, she slowly lifted her head. The face of an incredibly handsome man filled her vision.
'He’s wonderful.'
Her gaze began to grow hazy and unfocused. In her current state, Sun-woo looked handsome enough to rival legendary beauties like Song Ok and Pan An.
His martial arts were powerful enough for him to be called the next World's Greatest Martial Artist. He had the boldness to throw down 500,000 Nyang for her when she was driven to the edge. He had the character to never boast about the favor he had done. He had the warmth to embrace and comfort her while she was crying.
Add to that the intoxication from the forty-year-old Nu'er Hong, and even his perfectly fine, handsome features were now viewed through the ultimate rose-tinted glasses.
She began to scan Sun-woo’s face intently. She couldn't help but stare at a face she felt she could never tire of. After studying him for a while, her hazy gaze settled on Sun-woo’s lips.
'His lips are so shiny.'
She licked her own lips and swallowed. His lips looked incredibly tempting.
"Madam?"
What would it feel like to touch those lips?
"Madam?"
She didn't know for sure, but she was certain it would feel like bliss.
"Madam!"
Sun-woo called out to her loudly.
"Yes?!"
Startled, Hwangbo Yu-yeon snapped out of it and answered quickly.
"You weren't responding, so I wondered if something was wrong."
Sun-woo spoke in a calm tone.
"Ah... no... nothing’s wrong... I was just... lost in thought."
Having regained her senses, she spoke while blushing with embarrassment.
'I’m crazy! I’m insane! Thinking that about a man young enough to be my daughter’s age!'
She began to berate herself internally. She felt a deep sense of shame for harboring lewd thoughts about a man so much younger—especially since she was a married woman.
"You... you can let go now."
Still in his arms, she spoke slowly, though a part of her didn't want to leave.
"Ah, I understand."
Sun-woo nodded and released her.
'Ah...'
Hwangbo Yu-yeon let out a faint, regretful sigh. Moving away from his warm embrace left her feeling disappointed.
"............"
"............"
An awkward silence settled between the two. The embrace had made the atmosphere heavy. After a long moment of silence...
"Shall we drink more, then?"
Sun-woo asked, lifting the bottle.
"......Yes."
She nodded, her face still red.
Thud.
She sat back down and raised her glass.
Pour...
The liquor began to flow into her glass once more.
Whoosh.
Hwangbo Yu-yeon felt her face flush even hotter. Her head began to spin. She wanted nothing more than to collapse and fall asleep right then and there.
But she couldn't. She was the one who had lied about being a heavy drinker. If she collapsed now, Sun-woo would know she had lied.
'I... can't... be the first... to pass out.'
"Madam... are you alright?"
When she remained silent, Sun-woo spoke with a worried expression.
"I’m... f-f-f-fine."
"You don't look fine though?"
Sun-woo spoke, his own face flushed from the alcohol.
"I really... am..."
"If you’re tired, you can go to sleep."
"No... I’m... perfectly sober."
She shook her head rapidly from side to side.
Chuckles.
Seeing that, Sun-woo let out a small laugh. In that moment, she looked incredibly cute, in a way that didn't match her age at all. As he wore that playful smile...
"Young Master... Jang..."
"Please, speak."
"Why... did you do it?"
"What... do you mean?"
"Why... did you help me?"
She asked with a look of genuine confusion.
"For the past three days... I thought and thought and kept thinking... but I couldn't understand... Why did you help me... I’m your competitor... aren't I? So why... did you help me... Why?"
She looked at Sun-woo, unable to comprehend his actions. During the three days she had spent searching for him, she had agonized over it. Why had he helped her? Why had he so willingly given her the massive sum of 500,000 Nyang?
No matter how much she thought about it, she couldn't find a reason. There was no reason for him to help her. If anything, he should have been celebrating her downfall. That was why she was so curious.
"......Because you were grieving right in front of me."
".......What!?"
She looked taken caught off guard.
"You were crying right in front of me. With such a beautiful face."
"............"
"How could I possibly just stand by and do nothing?"
".......Your jokes... are too much... to an old woman... like me..."
She spoke with her face completely flushed. The joke was too much. He helped her because she was crying with a beautiful face? What kind of nonsense was that?
"It’s... no joke... Madam... In my eyes, you are an incredibly charming woman."
Sun-woo spoke, looking at her with an intensely serious gaze.
"............"
Hwangbo Yu-yeon met his serious gaze with her own hazy eyes. And she could feel it. She could feel that he was telling the truth.
Whoosh!
Her face turned as red as a ripe apple.
Thump, thump, thump.
At the same time, her heart began to race madly.
'He said... I’m beautiful...'
He had called her beautiful. How could her heart not race?
'Haah... he said... he sees me... as a woman...'
Her breathing gradually became heavy. His sweet words were slowly filling her with excitement.
"Haah... I haven't heard... words like that... in so long."
Hwangbo Yu-yeon spoke slowly, exhaling hot breath.
"That can't be true... not when you’re this beautiful."
"Fufu... it’s true... really... it’s been... so long... roughly..."
She was being sincere. Since giving birth to her daughter, Lee So-ran, she hadn't heard such things even once. That was why Sun-woo’s honeyed words made her heart flutter so much.
"I... don't understand... In my eyes, you look like a lovely, beautiful, and kind woman."
".............Is that true?"
She asked, her face burning.
"Do I... really... really... look beautiful to you?"
"It’s true... I could swear it by the moon in the sky."
Sun-woo spoke, looking at her with a gaze that was nothing short of burning.
"............"
Meeting that gaze, Hwangbo Yu-yeon’s eyes grew even more unfocused. The two of them held that intense gaze for a long time. And within those burning eyes, they could both see a flickering, fiery desire.
Sun-woo slowly stood up. He walked over to Hwangbo Yu-yeon and gently took her chin in his hand.
"Madam... no... Yu-yeon... you are so... beautiful..."
Sun-woo spoke, looking into her hazy eyes.
"Young... Master... you mustn't... I have... a daughter... and a husband..."
Hearing his words, Hwangbo Yu-yeon expressed her refusal with a deeply flushed face. It wasn't that she disliked him, but she was a married woman with a husband and a daughter. She couldn't possibly accept his affection.
"If you truly don't want this... you may refuse."
Having said that, Sun-woo pressed his lips against hers.
Mwah.
"Mmmph..."
And Hwangbo Yu-yeon did not refuse Sun-woo’s lips. On the contrary, she tilted her head, making it easier for him to kiss her. Soon, their soft lips were completely entwined.