CH 1.2

For  Jung  Won  who  is  always  busy  with  her  daily  activities,  the  contents  of  the  daily newspaper filled with events and happenings are not important.

The  trouble  started  when  her  inquisitive  but  often  reckless  younger  brother  saw  an advertisement in the newspaper. If she had known it was going to turn out like this, she wouldn’t have brought home the newspaper from the cafeteria.

Although she regretted it, it was too late.

“Kang Hee Won, didn’t you finish your food? Kang Sung Won, stop playing the game. So Hee, eat the carrots too.”

“Unnie1. Unnie, look at this.”

“What’s that?”

Warily, Jung Won accepted the newspaper that her sister held out to her with a meaningful look.

Actually, the advertisement displayed in the newspaper wasn’t that big. However, even though it only consisted of a few lines, the content was enough to catch the reader’s attention.

Wanted: Contract Wife

Requirements:

Age between 25-30 years old, physically healthy and neat appearance. IQ above 130. Have a permanent job.

Agreement:

Provided with contract money and a standard annual wage of a university graduate. Clothing and housekeeping are provided. After the contract is completed, special benefits such as studying abroad will be provided.

Attention:

Not a lifetime contract. The maximum contract period is three years. The contract will be renewed every year. No physical contact or any complaints are allowed. Please attach your CV, medical certificate, and IQ test certificate. Interviews will be conducted after passing the document selection.

“What the hell is this? It’s weird that someone would advertise something like this.”

Previously, she had often seen advertisements for short-term jobs such as clerks, teachers, interns, and others. However, this was the first time she saw an advertisement for a contract wife.

If advertisements like this start appearing frequently in the mass media, this world will become even more horrible.

I wonder who would dare to play with a marriage based on love and trust like this?

Although they say that people today are more realistic and materialistic, this is really outrageous. And dangerous too.

As if remembering something, Jung Won hurriedly turns her gaze to Hee Won. However, her sister’s beautiful eyes are already shining with excitement, as if she can’t escape the contract marriage advertisement.

“Unnie, but this isn’t bad either, right? It says it pays an annual salary according to the standards of university graduates. There’s contract money too. How much is it?”

“Kang Hee Won, you remember that you’re only 20 years old?”

This ad did make Jung Won surprised and panicked, but luckily the minimum age requested was 25 years old. She doesn’t know how old the groom is, but the minimum age is pretty high too.

“Yes, I know. I’m not old enough. It’s a shame, isn’t it?”

“Kang Hee Won!”

“Noona2,if you want to be Miss Korea, you have to be clean from scandals. So, you can’t participate in something like this.”

Seeing Hee Won’s gloomy and disappointed face, Sung Won immediately warned her gently while taking the newspaper from her nuna’s hand.

“That’s right. Scandals are not good for women.”

Before she could be surprised to hear that So Hee, who was still in kindergarten, knew the meaning of the word ‘scandal’, Jung Won warned Hee Won again with a serious face.

“It’s only crazy people who want to participate like this. You shouldn’t think anything of it.”

“I know. But it’s not certain when I’ll become a celebrity.”

After hearing her younger siblings’ advice and her brother’s, Hee Won remembered her dream and her beautiful eyes lit up with joy.

“It’s good that you realized that. That’s alright. Now hurry up and eat.”

“I don’t want to. I’ll get fat. I’m a Miss Korea candidate.”

“Do you remember the number one rule in our family?”

“Health is most important.”

Sung Won said as he spooned his rice while Hee Won just frowned. Seeing Jung Won glaring at her, So Hee was forced to eat the carrots she had set aside.

“But, Unnie, that doesn’t mean that eating a lot is healthy.”

“If you eat right, you’ll be healthy.”

As usual, hearing Jung Won’s seemingly irrefutable words, Hee Won couldn’t help but continue eating. Jung Won took a quick glance at the folded newspaper on the edge of the dining table.

Then, still with a worried look, she again said firmly to Hee Won.

“Kang Hee Won, do you remember rule number 46 in our family?”

“No selling the body.”

“Okay. I understand. Never mind, Unnie, that’s enough!”

To prevent trouble from arising due to the combination of the dangerous newspaper ad and Hee Won’s excessive curiosity, Jung Won nagged Hee Won relentlessly.

It got to the point where Hee Won raised her hand as if she had understood her sister’s words.

Family rules. A very valuable lesson passed down by both of their parents who had passed away. Today, that tattered notebook of 68 pieces of advice from their worried parents is truly a strength for Jung Won and her younger siblings.

After the siblings left their cramped living room, Jung Won sat alone with a deep sigh. Right now, it wasn’t Hee Won who was the problem.

Jung Won stares at the warning letter sent from the bank while frowning. If only she could have contacted her uncle, who secretly put the house up as collateral, maybe she wouldn’t be this desperate. However, it’s been a year since her uncle left his daughter, So Hee, to Jung Won and disappeared.

If this continues, they might be forced to lose their home and become homeless. She had approached several banks but as she had expected, she was always rejected.

It’s written in rule 49 that anything free can be dangerous, but right now she feels like suddenly winning the lottery. She wanted to solve this problem as soon as possible.

“Mother, what should I do? There’s no time left. I don’t have any money either. Please help us.”

Her mother’s face in the frame on top of the bookshelf just smiled dumbly.

When Jung Won was 12 years old, she lost both of her parents in an accident. Even after twelve years had passed, that night was still the most frightening night of Jung Won’s life.

Even though the incident had passed, the worry still remained.

Jung Won frowned even more at the red envelope from the bank that looked terrifying.

***

The short newspaper ad that caught Hee Won’s attention and surprised Jung Won had an equally surprising side effect.

Like Jung Won, there are parents who are strict with their families, there are adults who worry about life, and there are those who enjoy life. However, the person most highlighted about the short commercial is none other than Kim Geon Hyeong of Goryo Group.

“What the hell is this?”

“The requirements are quite detailed too, from CVs to medical certificates.”

Geon Hyeong looked at the newspaper sheet that was presented during the short briefing earlier while raising his eyebrows. Meanwhile,  Jason,  his  secretary,  kept  a  big  smile  while  reading  the  contents  of  the advertisement in the newspaper.

“So?”

“Did you place this ad?”

Hearing  Jason’s  question,  Geon  Hyeong  looked  at  the  newspaper  sheet  and  Jason alternately with a ‘is this kid crazy’ expression.

Jason, who seemed to know the answer from the look on his friend’s face just sighed lightly.

“The person in question in this ad is you. It looks like someone wants to give you a wife.”

“You’re out of your mind.”

Geon Hyeong unconsciously said those words when he heard Jason’s explanation. Then, less than 10 seconds later, Geon Hyeong wrinkled his face as if he remembered something and Jason waited for Geon Hyeong’s next words with a ‘I knew it.

“Yoo Shin Hee.”

Jason whistled briefly at Geon Hyeong’s furious remark.

How badly did he treat Shin Hee, that she would make such a big deal out of it? It’s bad enough to play with a woman’s feelings.

“There are already many applications coming in.”

“People have gone crazy too.”

“I thought so too, but people don’t seem to feel that way.”

Not only through the Internet, the application letters coming through the mail are also piling up.

“Let me take care of it, instead of it becoming a scandal and causing trouble. If your family finds out, they might faint.”

“Or maybe they’ve already fainted by now.”

Geon Hyeong replied briefly while Jason shook his head in horror at the thought.

The various parties who were always watching Kim Geon Hyeong’s movements would not miss such a good opportunity to bring him down from his current position. This time, Geon Hyeong really fell into Shin Hee’s trap. No, this was just the beginning.

He knew for sure that Shin Hee was not a woman who would innocently give in. However, is this contract wife advertisement not too much?

Geon Hyeong kept thinking hard while frowning. However, he couldn’t turn back time either. He knew for sure that he would not return to Shin Hee.

Geon Hyeong had promised Shin Hee’s mother and he wanted to keep his promise for life. However, it was clear that this matter would be quite troublesome for him.

The people who dislike him must have cheered at the news of this unexpected scandal. Then,  Mrs.  Oh  and  her  brother,  Director  Oh,  would  definitely  meet  him  to  discuss  the matter. Like that moment, when Geon Hyeong’s guilt over his mother disappeared.

The old memories that resurfaced after so long made Geon Hyeong’s face gloomy. Geon Hyeong still clearly remembers their quiet voices in the conversation at that time, when he was determined to give a proper reply to the two people someday.

Geon Hyeong’s eyes turned icy cold again remembering this.

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언니 (eonni; unnie) Literal meaning: “older sister” Is also used to call: A female friend or a female sibling who’s older than you (as a female) Used by: A younger female to call an older female or sibling.

누나 (nuna; noona) Literal meaning: “older sister” Is also used to call: A female friend or a female sibling who’s older than you (as a male) Used by: A younger male to call an older female or sibling.