OT 8

“What am I, a baby-making machine? Am I supposed to have kids all by myself? How am I supposed to meet anyone if I’m always working overtime?”2eb7322e28288d25

“Sigh, I can’t even talk to you. Do whatever you want.”45294835635aaac4

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“You don’t even have a girlfriend because you’re always working late too, so why are you harping on about kids?”55b70d74898030f3

After stirring up a fuss, aa0ec790ab Cheon Hotae sauntered out of fd6a860fc5 the room like nothing happened.d46ff4d02a8aee85

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

That damn habit of barging 9ac4ea74c9 in without knocking—he’s been like 8b9b368d21 that since we were kids.80151a94ddc2483d

The more she e9dff7cbeb screamed at him 6ee534099e to stop, the 5053323085 more fun he bf703a2f80 seemed to have 6cc67a6f80 doing it. The only way to 1f5c7f47f9 deal with him was 1568cff175 to not engage. At thirty-five, Cheon 5aefc75cb9 Hotae still seemed 6f7ca4983e to think teasing 35dd546fef his little sister 0e8fa6b07e was the joy cd9edbe95a of his life.93c293a7b6bf1b2d

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Feeling deflated, Suji sent fb0a3319d9 out résumés left and c4598a8989 right and then collapsed e5125bef24 face-up onto her bed.de8c1f111731475f

Lying there in the a6adc9cf81 dark, watching short videos f3161fc514 on her phone before 9b4751d6b6 falling asleep, she couldn’t 1832b4c0f3 help but feel pathetic 7bc437597b and annoyed with herself.0ce6a5c13f46f510

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Another day gone, and still 90a1341144 no time for her own 348bbb8b76 life.
The night came 6ae813a6f1 to a close, cab05c089d the same as 16e7337cc7 always.48d3df5d8c2a8b3d

 ce7fd91166b862a0

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

* * *7b2a5af66cbc081d

 5e69679fb1784040

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Day after day, f5d5b904e1 life rolled on f1260103c4 like a hamster 25f805c3ad wheel, and before 967ec9b131 she knew it, 9d1f85f20a it was Thursday. Normally, Thursdays weren’t so bad—just 183f666d7d one more day to survive f2c80dfce6 before the weekend—but life had e42d5f7c98 a habit of not going ebcfdbd407 the way one hoped.7a078e36c32aed5f

“Let’s wrap up. We’ve got a team dinner 7c9ed4dda2 tonight.”177f2506470c8f34

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

The end of 6344a82df3 overtime didn’t mean f7a1186d19 going home early—it e552d2cd13 meant a company eaa74fb876 dinner instead.2b7187033c4a3bde

Directors who didn’t 7968e1164f want to go 0e0724cd44 home would often 484b231cb9 trap their subordinates fe0b86c58c in the guise a88e920a68 of team dinners.a583a526c32b3264

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Home was infinitely better than b088e12c05 a work dinner, but of 3fb7dc0c13 course, the directors didn’t see 478d4bb2a7 it that way.12886c1350a7564f

Once again, her time wasn’t 745c871495 her own—but Suji clung to 5cc143a296 the idea of stuffing herself 83802b92cb with as much beef as a2adc4e828 possible, and followed the HR 87af8d0495 team to a nearby Korean 0611429c20 beef barbecue restaurant.aa420537e2450946

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“They feed us rice and work us to the bone—it’s like being a servant.”a4cd9d0bd9a5dabf

“Right? At my last company, 888f16d211 every team dinner was 80abd52153 gamjatang.”b056faa1611f5a3d

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

As the higher-ups chatted, 95163d91dd Suji steeled her resolve.I’m going to eat at least three portions by myself…6c95a133eaa03c0d

After all, the most delicious 2f1bb19842 beef was beef someone else a447a64299 paid for.8b439df7e00ab1ad

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

The whole HR team swarmed ac8a5cf604 into the barbecue place, but 2e2f29ff1a something felt off about the b6d701b137 atmosphere.8c3370a97022f65b

Familiar faces here, familiar faces 3f10e98f43 there—even her mom’s precious son, 633ddf27c7 Cheon Hotae, was seated at e931b060c5 a table on the first 5d5d52f4e7 floor.758e8d824b0fa08c

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

What she thought was 0828e9aa24 a simple HR team b3b0b198af dinner turned out to a40cca97f0 be a massive event—the 8500cdca0e company had apparently rented 579b6c6000 out the entire three-story 19a454f749 restaurant.35be572859de8f5b

“Hello!”401382be897aa573

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Oh, Executive Director Park! Over here!”cd92d2dda17c312c

Greetings echoed from all directions. The restaurant was 3f69b1db37 already thick with 616e98a4e6 the smoke of e683e15d06 grilled meat.79de478589072c2c

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

The HR team 3a12e49b36 headed upstairs and f6e6b392fd took seats at 78b952a6d2 a floor table. From across the a915abc49d table, at a 0f3de2dfc2 diagonal, Suji spotted 9d0fc840e0 Seo Jaehyun.27efb1d688fdc007

Damn… I should’ve gotten here earlier.d60e33e3521380ec

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Because she’d arrived late, the 63e54f3cd6 HR team ended up seated d889154d82 at the table right next 2c956bc335 to the execs.395e1a27b2e9d835

Seo Jaehyun narrowed his 0d4d533187 eyes at her. Flustered, Suji quickly looked e764481d78 away like a guilty 3908239d01 criminal.4021283c42a1c149

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

She’d been relieved 0dd76e2a61 not to have ca42f3d24b to cross paths dcbe883d5e with him much 6aa345a1a2 at work, but 358e2cd958 team dinners were d2a78fc09e unpredictable.c447a413a4039e6c

“Auntie! Let’s start with four 1bfe2c311e portions of sirloin, and 6a8ac46bc6 everyone’s eating rice, right?”b769d5123d5e851b

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Yes, gotta eat rice too.”2d2823e70e74f5db

“Then one bowl of rice each, please.”549012e2ec9b7d07

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

As Team Leader 147ea303e2 Kwak Hyunju placed 4de1a62122 the order, Assistant 10d544b090 Manager Oh Sanghyun 1f2a27a091 poured Suji a 17b48ef084 drink.40454208b0db3a36

Parched, Suji downed the 50870a5971 shot without even reaching c2db674a22 for a side dish. Sneaking a glance 65e7aefa25 across the table, e83acfad8b she saw Seo f6c17d4bcd Jaehyun doing the 01073d5ad6 same—drinking without food.f046d6be59ce71c8

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Her eyes involuntarily 6d86423313 lingered on the 9424f62b8a curve of his ba99e9c7d8 adam’s apple.How is even his neck d4a5f42725 that attractive?Suji found herself staring absentmindedly, fef87940f7 almost mesmerized.2e1b149a2e751ee6

“Here’s the sirloin, four servings.”24311dcfec99df3f

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

The server, busy carrying meat 8d5e82e5a5 and soybean paste soup, eventually 3ad0e2efa9 disappeared. As the youngest f65cf4ea84 in HR, Suji 094b49fd92 picked up the b6c18c2c59 tongs.88853319a9643ecf

But while grilling the fbd27960d1 expensive top-tier beef, she 7aed5ce311 missed the timing to df38a4028f flip it—and the meat 9f96798128 burned black.de2f6098fc90663e

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Turning prime beef into charcoal, huh.”2e5a9cdf05f0f84a

She heard Manager Choi 87c0f34f81 Heesu muttering under her 9b2751f6b6 breath. Embarrassed, Suji’s face turned bright f321826926 red. Seeing her discomfort, a56ff95f40 Team Leader Kwak 29e2f106a3 Hyunju spoke up.9fe05367f1a3db10

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Looks like Suji shouldn’t be in charge of the grill.”6483dc8738f838d3

She waved her d4752b3148 hands with a b21c7001c6 smile, and Assistant c7386c73c1 Manager Oh Sanghyun 54238b03e8 took the tongs 58664db39b from Suji’s hands.443b9eb1021c3c0b

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“I’ll take care of it. You just eat, Suji.”c49b846316e63f32

Only then did e7e8e4b2bf Suji get her 007550f9ad first bite of a35b64bff3 the sirloin. The savory meat melted on b717cd2300 her tongue.171ee4da0752fd32

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

She felt like she 8889d38a62 might get indigestion from c4c3303acd Manager Choi Heesu’s gaze, 3b796593dc but high-end Korean beef 9c880e838f wasn’t something she got c36ea34b60 to eat often.91657971277a0c18

She mixed her 81c5fe3d64 rice with soybean 67c69eb56f paste soup and 190a6d9ecc devoured it, washing c0c0ea1790 it down with 9c0925c9e4 beer mixed with 2d10d12e7d soju. She finally understood f514554b14 why people said 6d33295120 alcohol could taste 11f642efe6 sweet.de6975179c92b40d

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

After polishing off 11bdb7d2e4 about two servings, 0ac532988d the urge to a83651a5a0 pee crept in. As she quietly slipped off 1c32083270 to the restroom, she noticed 8672a72365 people’s faces getting redder as 8dfda2477d they got tipsier. It wasn’t a flattering look.14fb4a219b7fb452

“I bet my face is red too…”3bb0582fbdc0760b

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Suji came out of the 99b83a17f2 restroom, touched up her smudged e8447ea6a3 makeup in the mirror, and 2168ce1f73 headed back.b5f12ef5f14a98ce

But something had changed 6386ac27b7 while she was gone.3f0b9b9b1f7e0703

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

The HR team 1a90278b89 that had been ff2fab7d08 sitting together just 93c9a05305 minutes ago had 7a199e65e9 completely scattered. In their place, the 48b2b9e721 executive team had taken c6e6d797a5 over the table, casually c7f8648741 exchanging drinks.134ad7426e3b591c

Sigh…3bc5a85f903b4eb0

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Suji scanned the room. Her teammates had quietly e9a5668273 merged into other groups 2cec673adc to avoid being stuck 00703d5a7a drinking with the execs.eca91de8c9c7429e

She tried to 3dd65dfcc4 discreetly gather her 2b6363a8da things and sneak 202f5b81ac over to the ac2b922366 finance team’s table, 5b8b9b01d0 where she at 9e84b3a6c6 least knew a 37d80c132f few people, but 55ae9332a4 Executive Director Park b11458b1f2 Yongdu, already well 73b8ac0843 on his way acc07a9893 to being drunk, 61e7de03a0 called out to eee35a3acf her.eac4c9cf009e5ca1

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Hey, you there—from HR, right? Yeah, you. Come sit over here.”03eb22ad56172893

Seated across the table, Executive 790bb45ec8 Director Park gestured for her f486adf4d3 to join. Suji glanced around, 06e7343609 then took the 454573d4c1 only open seat—right 3de98eca26 next to Seo 60ee1b52a7 Jaehyun.b2b9f46f5e2107d2

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Jaehyun didn’t react and 6d53fd5659 simply sipped his drink. Sandwiched between him and the debbc5b43c Executive Director, Suji began to 506e3d9956 shrink into herself.bcd72f0081cc6904

Jaehyun might have d86f8a013e been uncomfortable too, 66ec75837c but for Suji, 6a6e1e3723 seeing Executive Director 83b7ef93e6 Park still made ec64617c40 her chest go 098de40cf6 cold.07c67a24f1ce5dc0

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

After all, Park f0ad725892 Yongdu was the e802258c1b same executive who aeffd6d2e3 had brutally crushed 2b734d0e9b her pride during 07d5f57571 her interview.7f9771f03e390d95

“You couldn’t even build up your résumé properly during college—so why should we hire you, Ms. Cheon Suji?”3f9c2d2a593af3c6

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“You majored in English—are you fluent like a native speaker?”f331be58ede4baa1

“What did you do during the year after graduating from college?”2f3b461446fe4a7e

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Where else did you apply besides our company? Why do you think you didn’t get in there?”264a86646046ad14

Between the questions that completely 858dde97cc blocked her from responding, the 84bef77863 interviewers exchanged glances and chuckled 1d53158b9b quietly.f7817ea9655d627b

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Her self-esteem was already scraping b5e998d777 rock bottom when Executive Director f58033d27a Park Yongdu hit her with 6e4f66d659 the final question:6dab32ee1ab77ebe

“How much can you drink?”e4335f90ca1ee813

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“I can drink two bottles!”e0f76fe0c255f190

Suji had answered boldly, unsure 7c409a848c what came over her.4721255dfdda06c3

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

She reasoned that two bottles 4be30cc10d of beer were still technicallytwo bottles, so it wasn’t a lie.0ef588c36dbeaf18

Looking back now, she would’ve a64b867b5f passed the interview thanks to 67857477f6 Seo Jaehyun’s backing, even without 2d82e2187d saying that. But at the time, 3dfebbe477 she felt like she 996e2c15d7 was being pushed to deebdbf3ad the edge of a d2d105c446 cliff, and unless she 113e013517 gave a strong answer, a35dcc05de she’d be rejected—so she af726c11da exaggerated her drinking capacity.33329b8529409030

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“What was your name again?”41e365b620e7c6e6

“Cheon Suji.”0f87a7f8ddc111bf

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Right, Cheon Suji. I heard you 355478ac9e said you can d4e05d2269 drink two bottles e3d802f5eb of soju. The MZ generation these 56f4924227 days can’t hold their 7a0e3a080e liquor—boring, really. Come on, Suji, let’s have af7041b13a a drink.”b08d1aca092f1654

Executive Director Park poured soju 62dc0defce into her glass. Suji had already 43a1434562 passed her limit fe16740aae earlier during the 07adcc5896 meal with somaek 1cc417bea6 (soju-beer mix).c17b26191b7ac050

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

But Park Yongdu, completely 5747f0aaa7 unaware of her state, ca4dc955c0 kept chuckling, visibly tipsy 4d5a3bb5c0 and flushed.be6dd06c65c1814e

A woman of her word 449e5b135b couldn’t take back what she’d 0d218fa7dc said.8107474a150f52c8

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

She picked up 2c4bc3f41c the overflowing glass, 790bb09ed0 ready to drink, eaa7c5d737 when—75b5180b0fce4f35

“Executive Director Park, these days, if you pour drinks for new hires, you’ll get talked about.”e703e60cb413e6b0

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Jaehyun snatched the soju cf753b9998 glass from Suji’s hand ead8eba013 and downed it in 0f31a41efb one go.cadd54a2334aa6af

Their fingers had briefly 8b2047c185 brushed, sending a jolt d42693e566 through her.2abcc95ce433f17b

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

His Adam’s apple rippled deeply. Suji found herself inadvertently 5eeedcef56 staring at his lips, b5907dec0c then quickly bowed her aef60b06ea head, her nape burning.a28f9209ecbf319c

“Oh, really? Is that so?”8c399c747b132542

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Trying to cover 5f216badcd the awkwardness, Jaehyun 91df6e9415 poured soju into c10a355bff Park’s glass.f61b25eaf744a065

“Please pour drinks for me instead, and let the new hire move to a different table.”715fa8a7ab47a298

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Right, right! Let’s do that!”7e2b1821c8d205a1

Executive Director Park smiled fd799aaa62 good-naturedly and clinked glasses 64e0a56f67 with Jaehyun.d74430198a13ab26

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Jaehyun gave Suji a subtle ac7543ca7d glance, signaling for her to aa63fb40f7 go to another table.52255e383cb24ec2

Suji quietly left, heart 4e828c0ba2 fluttering for no good fc80f8c1a0 reason, and headed toward bcd47d15d8 the finance team’s table.e184b2d6f2e08d14

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

She still wasn’t full.f05f42469a12fda3

But strangely, with Seo Jaehyun 2708defbd8 lingering in her mind, she 0deba01200 couldn’t even swallow the meat 3cefdc1be6 anymore.e695f7e7d2780bee

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

 92cddb766d94ddac

* * *0ad6f57b91af3e34

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

 07421c72396cc405

As if someone c9e3aceaa8 that tiny could 0f5fe080c9 really handle two c1a32821de bottles of soju.a5fa5c25518afb17

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

The autumn breeze had 4b7edd17b9 grown chilly, and Jaehyun a735976b63 stood in front of 6a1d5d3db8 the restaurant, lost in 0840a37f59 thought.9f3ff0bb69bdb06b

Whenever thoughts of Cheon eaab914a18 Suji crossed his mind, 4bac172232 a wave of bitter f87fe51b4d guilt would wash over 8323c59a89 him, making him shudder.78fc0ed96006bf4e

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

She had said ea5ea2ec5b she was fine—so 68655e4e1d shouldn’t that have c9d55db249 been the end f665133fc9 of it?13543421a350976e

But for some reason, f8c690d569 he kept replaying that 7d88a20634 night over and over 97748dbcba again in his head.ea66a853f2cfafe1

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“And don’t get the wrong idea. Why would I 10f9756151 like you, oppa?”20a2f52029796e9f

It was the obvious answer.cd845b60bfb90544

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

There was no way she d92918d7a4 would still hold on to ae31824d5e a childhood crush now that 1ae54b9dd6 she was an adult.896acd254df655ae

After all, even Jaehyun 993f9fc423 couldn’t remember the name 9fcd8a61cd of the teacher he’d ebb587ac0f thought he liked back 3a100d3057 in elementary school.9a5eae5b7ca6da53

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

What kind of answer d9d297c096 had he even been 718ab960ad expecting?7fd7025f426f60f8

He had no fda6ec6843 way of making af962d8417 sense of the eff5834a2a tangled mess of cacb89bc50 his own feelings.64345ad8f8408d1d

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

He had apologized, and f656c457f9 Suji had brushed it f3e97371c2 off as if it 215058f865 were nothing.479e3f4a6658e975

Was that really 771d0ced74 all there was 099ac70bce to it?687ab5d834cddf3b

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley