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Chapter 17
Jinhyuk stuck out his tongue in surprise.
He hadn’t expected her to know what he wanted so quickly. She was sharper than she looked.
After all, the one who had handed him that fortune reading was none other than Yeonsu, the very person sitting before him. It would have been strange if she didn’t know.
Yet, he didn’t like the feeling of being rejected without even proposing anything. His pride and competitive spirit flared.
“If you hear the conditions, Ha Yeonsu, you might become interested.”
Jinhyuk straightened his posture, the fire of challenge in his eyes igniting.
“I don’t need any conditions. I have no desire to get involved with you personally, not even a bit.”
But the more he insisted, the firmer Yeonsu became.
“How about 50,000 won per hour?”
“That’s way too low.”
Yeonsu scoffed at his suggestion. Even someone unfamiliar with the field would know 50,000 won an hour was far too little.
“Let’s make it just six months. I’ll give a separate success bonus. Think of it as a second job—you won’t lose out.”
Jinhyuk smirked, but Yeonsu could not laugh along. She assumed he wanted a one-night encounter. Otherwise, why would he hide her clothes?
Providing a place to store her scattered belongings and a bed for the night was helpful, but being treated like this was deeply offensive.
“Twenty-four hours a day, that’s 1.2 million won per day, about 36 million per month. Six months? Just over 200 million won. Success bonuses on top, depending on performance.”
Jinhyuk noticed her hesitation and elaborated.
“Two hundred million for six months?”
Her voice trembled at the incredible sum. Clearly, Jinhyuk’s mention of employment meant it wasn’t what she had imagined.
“Wait, what exactly do you want to hire me for?”
Yeonsu asked, regaining her composure. Jinhyuk’s face twitched slightly—she hadn’t already known, it seemed.
“I want you to play the role of my wife.”
Yeonsu’s surprise caused her to hiccup uncontrollably.
“Hic… sorry, hic….”
Jinhyuk offered her the tea on the table.
“Drink this for now.”
After gulping it down, her hiccups finally stopped, and she placed the cup back on the table, embarrassed.
“Do you remember I once mentioned the baby bodhisattva?”
Once Yeonsu nodded, he continued:
“Because of that baby bodhisattva, I must marry. Specifically, a December-born woman with strong water energy.”
“…Do you really have to marry?”
Yeonsu asked hesitantly.
“The mystic bodhisattva predicted that the eldest adult in my house will pass away.”
“The adult being…?”
“My grandfather, Chairman Do Jumyeong of Haenam Construction.”
Yeonsu froze, her expression one of shock. She had merely said it offhandedly—the prediction only mentioned a funeral, not death.
“Couldn’t it just be superstition?”
“The chairman doesn’t think so.”
Jinhyuk shook his head and continued:
“There’s barely enough time to find and marry such a picky woman this year. But it turns out Ha Yeonsu fits the criteria perfectly.”
It became clear that Chairman Do thought Yeonsu wasn’t just a temporary companion, but a potential marriage partner.
“Wouldn’t it be better to look for someone from a similar background? I’m from a very different world than you, Executive Jinhyuk.”
Yeonsu, recovering from shock, offered her excuse.
“This isn’t real marriage—just a show. A six-month show. I just need to prove that my grandfather’s life isn’t in danger even if I don’t actually marry.”
Her words made her swallow hard.
“So now you’re a little interested?”
Noticing her shift in attitude, Jinhyuk smiled.
“I said I’m not interested—but that’s not what you think. Seeing you take all my clothes and underwear, I thought that’s what you wanted.”
“That? What do you mean?”
“Well… that’s… sex.”
Hearing this, Jinhyuk almost spewed his tea out in laughter.
“Ah, sorry.”
He wiped his mouth with a napkin, careful not to spill on Yeonsu.
“…So you thought I wanted to have sex with you?”
“Yes.”
“Otherwise, hiding my clothes wouldn’t make sense.”
Jinhyuk explained, smiling wryly.
“The maid apparently cleaned up your clothes after work—they were dirty, so she put them straight into the washing machine. Checked just now, and they’re running.”
Yeonsu let out a short, frustrated sigh.
“I have no intention of having sex with you, so stop imagining ridiculous things.”
Jinhyuk, smirking, cast a sharp gaze over her body.
“What are you looking at?”
“Looking? I’m not interested at all. My standards are high.”
Despite his teasing words, he couldn’t stop imagining Yeonsu in her wet state, wrapped in a towel. Heat flushed his face, and he abruptly stood up.
“Executive, where are you going?”
“If I stay here, there’ll be worse misunderstandings. I’m going to bed. Think about my proposal.”
Jinhyuk quickly turned and disappeared into the room. Yeonsu exhaled deeply.
Two hundred million for six months was an opportunity not to be missed. With this, she could repay all remaining debts. Her parents, back in their hometown, might even be able to return to Seoul. Yet, an uneasy feeling lingered.
‘Surely the person who’s supposed to die isn’t Chairman Do Jumyeong?’
She decided to check on the divination the next day and buried herself under the covers.
The next morning, she awoke to clattering outside. A middle-aged woman greeted her as she stepped out.
“Ah, miss, you were surprised yesterday, weren’t you? I put your clothes in the washing machine without realizing.”
The maid handed her neatly cleaned clothes.
“No, thank you.”
“Change quickly and come out. Breakfast is ready.”
“No, that’s okay.”
“The executive insisted you have breakfast.”
Yeonsu’s eyes widened.
“He must have already gone to work.”
“Yes, he usually arrives early, though he was a bit late today.”
Checking the time, it was just past 7 a.m.
‘If that’s considered late, when does he even get to work?’
After a solid breakfast, she headed to work. The commute from Jinhyuk’s house took only about 30 minutes by car.
She recalled what colleagues had mentioned:
“The executive is a hardcore workaholic.”
“That’s why he’s still unmarried.”
Jinhyuk was 35—late by modern standards but old enough for his parents to want him married. Even without the fortune, Chairman Do would want Jinhyuk to marry.
Could she really deceive him?
Yeonsu looked up at the sky and exhaled a long sigh.
