Perfect!
The tightening surveillance of the sect, Im Ha-yeon’s problem with the courtesan.
Man Geum-jeon’s romantic interference, and Zhuge Xiang getting kicked out of the mansion.
Is there a way to overcome all these obstacles at once? In front of Man Geum-jeon, one plan suddenly came to mind.
‘What if the three of us live together?’
If the three of us live together in a safe mansion, the threat from Hao Sect and the interference of Man Geum-jeon’s romance will no longer intrude.
Both have problems, but if we gather them, a huge advantage will arise. It’s like having a perfect pair of wings if the two merge completely.
‘You guys are my wings.’
With a satisfied face, I looked at the two women who were wearing peculiar expressions.
If the three of us work together, we can overcome the crisis in Wuhan and soar towards the frontier.
“Let’s live together.”
I confidently told the two women about my perfect plan once again. But they didn’t respond to my declaration.
It’s a perfect plan, so why do they both look like that?
Why are their expressions so stiff? Just nod your heads or something!
Is it too sudden?
I patiently waited for their answers. And finally…
“What are you talking about?!”
“Gah!”
I was hit by an unexpected blow.
“Master Kang…!”
“Ha ha… Miss Zhuge?”
I received looks mixed with resentment.
“You! Get out of the room!”
I was kicked out.
—————————-
“Where did it all go wrong?”
I sat in the corner of the inn on the first floor, holding my head.
I never expected they would team up to kick me out of my own room.
Isn’t that a bit much?
“Tsk, tsk, tsk. I knew this would happen.”
As I sat there awkwardly, I could hear the voices of the staff in the corner.
“No way! Is it okay to bring another woman into the room when you have a sister-in-law?”
“Hey, do you not know what’s happening? Isn’t there anything that can’t be said to the Club Leader?”
“Why don’t you know? If two women go into a room and a man comes out, there could only be one interpretation! Didn’t he get caught up in a love affair?”
“I heard shouting while surveying the Nine Black Qi Hands on the third floor, and he was rejected while suggesting they live together.”
“What? The Club Leader?! No way!”
One of the staff members who was seriously defending me was startled and asked me.
“Yeah. Surprising but true.”
There’s a lot that was omitted, but it’s true. It’s painful, but you have to admit the facts.
“… Be thankful I wasn’t kicked out in my underwear.”
The inn staff’s cold stares were all pointed at me.
No, it was a perfect plan, I tell you!
——————————–
“Miss Ha-yeon, please open the door. Miss Ha-yeon.”
After waiting long enough for the anger to subside, I knocked on Im Ha-yeon’s door first.
“Miss Ha-yeon, the innkeeper has brought freshly baked pancakes with maple syrup to lift your spirits. Let’s eat together before they cool down.”
I even made an iced Americano. Please open the door!
Is this what it’s like for church folks on weekends? I can hear movement from inside, but there’s no sign they want to come out.
I can’t give up. I’m going to be the persistent evangelist, or rather, the superconducting Kang Yoon-ho until they open the door!
“Miss Ha-yeon, please open just once.”
I can explain everything. But the firmly closed door wasn’t changing, much like the ‘unread’ status of a message I nervously sent to a woman I like.
Is the world of superconductivity really this distant and perilous?
Since it seems Ha-yeon’s anger hasn’t subsided, there’s nothing I can do. I sighed lightly and muttered in front of the door.
“Then I’ll go visit Miss Zhuge first.”
“Where do you think you’re going?!”
Bang! Suddenly, there was a hurried sound from inside.
Oh. No way?
The door cautiously opened as if it were the heart of a person who finally accepted feelings.
Im Ha-yeon poked her head out with a pout, looking at me with a disapproving glance up and down, then finally said,
“… Come in.”
“Thank you.”
I stepped lightly into the neatly organized room of Im Ha-yeon.
“Ugh. How did I end up really having such a man… ugh…?”
Do you disapprove of me coming in so shamelessly? Im Ha-yeon sighed slightly as she watched me and pulled out a chair.
“So, Miss Ha-yeon.”
“What on earth are you talking about? Tell me!”
“I can explain. If you listen calmly, you will understand.”
I realized my explanation was lacking. I was too focused on my excitement about the plan.
“If it were you, would you calmly suggest living together with three? No! Speak up!”
I already planned out how to persuade them.
First, I can’t reveal my selfish desires.
I want to wake up in the morning, yawn, and walk into the living room to see two beauties to completely wake me up, and I want to feel superior taking a ride with two women in a carriage for work. I want to have dinner together when I come home.
I can’t show my selfish motives here.
At times like this, I need to erase myself from the equation first.
The most important thing is justification. I need to present the biggest justification that can persuade her.
“It’s all for you, Miss Ha-yeon.”
I looked at Im Ha-yeon as if I were an endlessly devoted person thinking only of her.
“For me?”
“The surveillance from the sect is closing in. At this rate, it will only be a matter of time before they notice your whereabouts.”
Raise the sense of urgency.
The Hao Sect’s Wuhan branch is a type of oligarchic political system where the leaders closely cooperate and control their own factions.
Until now, Club Leader Simun Hyang-ju had kept me a secret from the sect while spreading misinformation, but now the situation has drastically changed.
With the sect now being able to act in earnest, they had to change their strategy.
“It’s certainly a dangerous situation.”
Im Ha-yeon nodded readily.
“Although Miss Ha-yeon can face the sect’s martial artists, being exposed to danger is the problem itself. Being caught means you could be taken at any moment.”
In chess, Im Ha-yeon is a queen.
No matter who she faces, she can win, but being exposed to danger is already the issue.
“What does that have to do with living together?”
As if realizing that she misunderstood something, Im Ha-yeon calmed her angry expression and asked me.
Good. The operation of laying out the justification worked.
Now it’s time to emphasize how much I’ve worked hard.
“I requested bodyguards from Man Geum-jeon for Miss Ha-yeon.”
“For me?”
I nodded toward the surprised Im Ha-yeon.
“The bodyguards will be stationed in the mansion. I mentioned that there are people targeting me and Miss Zhuge because of the Lush Green Post Office incident, so I arranged for these guards, but in reality, it’s all for you, Miss Ha-yeon.”
I had even requested bodyguards from Man Geum-jeon for that reason.
No matter how much the Hao Sect’s sect might be, they couldn’t directly touch the Man Geum Battlefield.
Moreover, the youngest daughter of the Zhuge family is living within the mansion.
The mansion, connected to the top martial arts family in Hubei and the wealthiest in Hubei, Man Geum-jeon, means that even if Miss Ha-yeon’s location is discovered, anyone attempting to intrude on a mansion where three people live would risk everything.
I explained my strategy slowly to Im Ha-yeon.
“For me…”
Im Ha-yeon clasped her hands and looked at me with touched eyes.
“I would much prefer living in this inn, thank you very much. Why would I want to live uncomfortably in a mansion with someone who’s awkward like Miss Zhuge?”
“Awkward… You should have said that earlier! I didn’t know…”
Am I sorry? If so, I should make her even more sorry.
“Everyone is doing it all for you, Miss Ha-yeon.”
I smiled at her like a boyfriend who would take all the irritation and frustration of his girlfriend.
I plotted this entire strategy for you. Impressive, right?
“Is the place you got hit before okay?”
“Ha ha. Don’t worry about it. My skin is tough, so I’m fine. I’m sorry for rushing to the conclusion earlier.”
“Really, you always…”
Im Ha-yeon laughed as if she couldn’t help it and sat next to me. Why are we trying to fit two people on one chair uncomfortably?
As I was trying not to ruin the good vibe, I once again asked Im Ha-yeon sitting next to me.
“Will you live together?”
“Sure. Let’s live together.”
——————–
It’s like going from mountain to mountain.
“Miss Zhuge.”
Now it’s Zhuge Xiang’s turn.
I knocked on the door of the office, and it easily opened since it wasn’t locked.
“Miss Zhuge, I’m coming in.”
I cautiously peeked into the room while holding the food.
She’s not here.
Where did she go? Even after placing the food down and looking around the office, I couldn’t find her.
Could it be she went out while I was talking to Im Ha-yeon? Or is she using the formation I mentioned last time?
“Master Kang!”
Neither.
“Miss Zhuge, you’re under the desk. Please have a seat.”
Zhuge Xiang was curled up beneath the desk, hiding with a gloomy look.
Come on, get out of there.
A businessman with a beautiful woman under the desk? This is a spot that could be misinterpreted by someone who would see it or someone who has specific tastes.
“…”
She looked like a pouting dog who didn’t go out for walks on a rainy day. Zhuge Xiang complained as she sat in my chair.
“Miss Zhuge, I think my urgency may have caused some misunderstandings.”
I first offered an apologetic greeting to Miss Zhuge.
“Misunderstanding?”
Once again I brought up the justification for the sake of the other party.
“Yes. This plan was entirely made for your sake, Miss Zhuge.”
“For me?”
“Man Geum-jeon seems to have decided on drastic measures due to the frustrating nature of our relationship. Man Geum-jeon kicked you out, saying that if you want, you can pretend not to know. But how could I pretend not to know you, Miss Zhuge?”
“Sniff… Yes.”
“However, there’s a significant problem.”
“A problem?”
“Aren’t we in a contractual relationship? A man and a woman living together without being married will get pointed at by society. I don’t want a beautiful and talented bride like Zhuge Xiang to face a significant disqualification as a marriage prospect.”
“Sniff… A wonderful bride prospect?”
Zhuge Xiang looked a little flustered, not used to the praise, twisting her body shyly.
“Yes. Someone like me, a barbarian, couldn’t care less about bad rumors or finger-pointing. But I don’t want you, a splendid bride like Miss Zhuge, to suffer any damage. Okay?”
This is not because I want to, but everything is being done because of Miss Zhuge… Just as I’m trying to clarify, Zhuge Xiang suddenly grabbed my sleeve.
What’s going on?
As I looked at Zhuge Xiang, she turned beet red, unable to meet my gaze, and tightly closed her eyes.
Wasn’t that what I said?
Zhuge Xiang hesitated and then mumbled her lips before gripping my sleeve tightly and said,
“M-Master Kang is also a g-g-great husband prospect.”
Ah, I see. Now I’m a little shy too.
“Ha ha, thank you. The method I came up with to resolve this is for the three of us to live together.”
Without causing burden on the Zhuge family and avoiding the interference of Man Geum-jeon. Moreover, it resolves Im Ha-yeon’s issue; the solution was cohabitation.
“With Miss Ha-yeon?”
“Yes. Miss Ha-yeon provides the most help in my work. I mean, she’s an absolutely essential part of my business. She understands me better than anyone else. So if we live together, we can pretend that it’s not about the three living together as a man and a woman, but rather about work.”
“The Miss who helps Master Kang the most…”
Did I overemphasize Im Ha-yeon’s abilities? Zhuge Xiang’s expression strangely stiffened.
“I’d find it most convenient to live in the inn. However, I thought this was the best way to escape the interference of Man Geum-jeon while not inconveniencing Miss Zhuge in the future. I truly apologize for any misunderstandings that may have arisen.”
I made another apology to her.
Zhuge Xiang stared intently at my bowed head, then carefully asked me,
“Is it… for me?”
“Of course. Living together will also help exchange ideas on the operation of the Tea Bookstore branch, and I look forward to your diary exchanges.”
I’ll accompany her to places I can’t go alone, help run the bookstore, and do diary exchanges together.
Let’s live together. That way, we can solve all our problems.
As I looked at Zhuge Xiang with expectations, she shyly turned her head, and then quietly spoke.
“Y-yes… Then let’s do it.”
————————
“Just as planned.”
I finally succeeded in persuading them.
I sent Zhuge Xiang back to Man Geum-jeon’s mansion for our cohabitation preparations, and as I was on my way back, I mumbled.
Although big problems came at once, by combining the two women’s issues into one, I ended up creating an even better outcome.
Although it’s bothersome that the commute is getting longer.
Now there’s only one more task left.
I looked up at the starry sky and shouted cheerfully,
“Now, shall we wrap up the opening of the Tea Bookstore branch?!”
Clink!
