I Thought the Youngest Daughter of the Sichuan Tang Family Was Hated - Chapter 38

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

After a while, I finished my war-like preparations and bolted outside as if escaping.
“Do-hwi!”
I spotted Namgoong Do-hwi standing in front of the Guest Hall and called out to him with delight.
The young boy turned around at the sound of my voice.
When our eyes met, he offered me a cute smile and waved his hand.
Somehow, he seemed even more refreshed than yesterday.
“Huff, huff…! Did you wait long for me?”
I arrived before him and asked while catching my breath.
“A little.”
When Namgoong Do-hwi answered calmly, my heart clenched.
“Oh no! I’m so sorry—!”
I stomped my feet and expressed my apologies with full force.
Getting dressed had taken far too long.
‘Who could have known that the Nanny and Gong Myo would do this!’
Whether they strongly agreed with Father’s command, the two of them spared no effort in trying to make me ‘not cute.’
In the end, I had to step outside wearing a ridiculous red palace dress embroidered with a loud tiger design.
Of course, now I had entrusted that absurd outfit to Dang Dam and changed into different clothes.
Dang Dam helped me, apparently thinking my appearance was too dire.
Thanks to him, I was able to swap the red tiger skirt for a modest pale pink one.
‘Though the skirt is a vivid jade color that hurts the eyes.’
Still, thank you, Dang Dam!
I sent a wink to Dang Dam standing behind me.
Dang Dam bowed his head slightly, the red garment with white pearl-like ornaments tied at his waist.
“It’s fine.”
At Namgoong Do-hwi’s gentle voice, I turned my gaze toward him.
“I was waiting for you anyway.”
At the warm words that came with a soft smile, my stomping feet came to a stop.
The corners of my mouth lifted on their own.
‘…What was I worried about?’
I couldn’t begin to express how anxious I was about seeing Namgoong Do-hwi because of yesterday’s incident.
But it was indeed needless worry.
His father may dislike us, but Namgoong Do-hwi did not.
“Shall we go now?”
Namgoong Do-hwi naturally extended his hand.
I glanced back at Dang Dam. I could see him shaking his head slightly.
Did he not realize that the more he did that, the more my defiant spirit grew?
“Yes!”
I grasped his hand firmly and took the lead, walking forward.
Then I stopped abruptly.
“But where are we going?”
I turned to look at him and asked awkwardly, and Do-hwi tilted his head back with a laugh.
“Haha. You’re heading the right way. Just keep walking like this.”
Then he gently pulled my hand.
“Still, let’s walk in step together. I like walking side by side.”
“Oh, really? Got it!”
I scurried over and stood beside Do-hwi.
Walking hand in hand like this made my heart flutter with excitement.
‘So he wants to get closer to me too.’
On the way to the Flower Field, I encountered many servants of the Namgoong Family.
They bowed so respectfully to Do-hwi that the servants of the Dang Family seemed crude by comparison.
‘It feels like such a foreign place.’
Even though the Namgoong Clan had taken me in out of pity when I ran away, and I’d lived here quite a long time.
Now that I thought about it, I’d been too self-conscious to wander through such open spaces.
Looking around now, I felt so much more.
The buildings visible here and there were distinctly different from the Dang Family.
The Dang Family was serene. There were ornate buildings, but there was a sense of balance to it.
This place, by contrast, was overwhelmingly grand.
Every building was large and tall, yet lacked any ornamentation.
It felt like I’d come to a rocky mountain.
“…Wow.”
The Flower Field that Do-hwi had mentioned followed that same characteristic.
“It’s huge…!”
Before me lay an endless expanse of golden flowers—sweet osmanthus and chrysanthemums filling the entire garden.
At my height, I couldn’t possibly see where the garden ended.
The sweet fragrance that pricked my nose made my body feel light and weightless.
“It’s really beautiful!”
I turned to look at Namgoong Do-hwi, bursting with excitement.
In that moment, my excitement crashed down.
‘…Just as I thought.’
Do-hwi’s eyes were red as he smiled along with me.
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it? This is my favorite place.”
The boy scratched his neck while surveying the surroundings with satisfaction.
Below his collar, I could see skin inflamed and reddened.
‘It’s definitely pollen allergies.’
No matter how hard he pretended to like it, the years we’d spent together meant I could see through it instantly.
Do-hwi hates this garden.
‘Why is he lying?’
If he just wanted to show me this place, he wouldn’t need to do that….
“Should we head back now?”
When I asked carefully, Do-hwi’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Why? Is there more?”
“No, it’s just… Namgoong Do-hwi, are you alright?”
“What do you mean?”
I studied his face carefully, as if he genuinely didn’t understand my question.
He showed no sign of wanting to discuss the flower allergy.
‘I’m not sure what to do.’
I eventually shook my head and extended my hand to him.
“Never mind. Would you like me to show you the Garden?”
“Sure.”
Namgoong Do-hwi nodded in agreement.
At that moment, a cool breeze swept through.
“Achoo!”
He coughed as if he’d been waiting for it. As his hair scattered in the wind, I could see red marks appearing more and more prominently on his skin.
“Haha. It’s getting a bit chilly.”
“…Yes, it is.”
Why did he keep lying?
And unnecessary lies at that.
“Look at this. The buds are really large.”
He showed me around the Garden as if nothing was wrong.
But my curiosity only grew stronger.
‘This is strange. Really strange!’
He went out of his way to walk down the middle of the path to stay away from the flowers.
Yet when I plucked a flower and handed it to him…
“Wow… it’s, *cough*, so fragrant!”
He even pretended to inhale the scent deeply.
Whether he’d taken medicine beforehand or not, there were no severe symptoms, but his condition was crystal clear to my eyes.
‘It must be difficult for him.’
So why was he indulging my actions?
Even if he wanted to grow closer to me, there was no need to endure hardship just to gain my favor…
“Hmm, now that I think about it, there’s nowhere to sit.”
In the middle of the Garden, Namgoong Do-hwi looked around.
It seemed he was using the lack of seating as an excuse to leave.
But my thoughts were different.
“Really? Then let’s just sit here.”
“Uh, huh?”
“Isn’t it nice? Soft and fragrant!”
“….”
I made the suggestion deliberately.
I didn’t even understand why I did it myself.
It just bothered me that he was hiding something.
“…Fine.”
Namgoong Do-hwi nodded without any change in expression.
I quickly sat down on the floor to prevent him from answering my question.
As I patted the ground repeatedly, Namgoong Do-hwi plopped down beside me without hesitation.
He gestured to the servant standing behind us and spoke.
“Bring refreshments here. For the tea leaves—”
“Oh. Make it Bing Qinghua!”
I cut off Namgoong Do-hwi’s words with a bright smile.
His eyebrows twitched momentarily.
‘How about that? It’s the scent you despise. That sharp, acrid fragrance that makes your nose sting.’
I waited for him to express his disgust, but his response was nothing but gracious.
“Yes. That will do.”
My mouth fell open at his agreeable answer.
‘Are you really going to drink that? You won’t throw up?’
Watching him continue to hide his true feelings only sparked my stubbornness.
Did I not know his real nature? He was clearly enduring this.
‘…I need to see how far he’ll actually go.’
“Oh! And I’d really love the refreshments to be incredibly sweet.”
“…I like sweet things too. Bring them that way.”
Namgoong Do-hwi’s face had grown half-rigid as he instructed the servant, who looked utterly flustered.
The servant glanced nervously at him before hurrying away.
In the blink of an eye, the refreshment table was set.
I sipped at my tea while watching Namgoong Do-hwi’s every move.
“…Ugh, it’s, ugh! Not bad.”
He suppressed his gag reflex and somehow managed to enjoy the refreshments.
Or rather, he pretended to enjoy them.
The Bing Qinghua tea with its numbing aftertaste was nothing but exquisite torture, and the sickly-sweet refreshments that ruined the tea’s flavor could never be enjoyable for Namgoong Do-hwi.
“Ahh.”
I drained my teacup and wiped my lips.
Namgoong Do-hwi followed suit, finishing his tea as he spoke.
“It’s delicious. It’s fun to eat this way.”
“Isn’t it?”
I answered with a slight smile at his hollow words.
My reflection shimmered on the polished bottom of the teacup.
‘Now I understand why this feels so unsettling.’
It was the discord. The him from before my return and the him now were far too different.
‘You weren’t like this before.’
My kind friend, Namgoong Do-hwi.
I had called him kind not because he accommodated everything like this.
It was because he was the only child who became my friend when I was nothing at all.
But the Namgoong Do-hwi I knew would never act this way.
There was no reason his personality would have changed as he grew.
‘Even before the regression, I met Do-hwi around this time for the first time.’
“…So this Garden used to be a large pond, they say. The workers….”
He wasn’t the type of child to talk this much.
We were the kind who preferred to sit quietly in a Room and enjoy the flowing sky.
At that thought, I couldn’t focus on the conversation.
“Haha. What is this….”
As I was slowly leaving the Garden, Do-hwi burst into laughter.
“Huh, huh? Haha. Right.”
My mind was elsewhere, so I had no idea what I’d even said.
As I blinked blankly, Do-hwi looked up at the sky with a relieved expression.
“It’s strange. Being with you puts my mind at ease.”
Do-hwi fidgeted with my hand as he asked me.
His smile was pristinely clear.
“What about you? Did you have fun today?”
“….”
Would this be enough?
What’s good and what’s bad. When someone wants to hide their true self, there must be a reason for it.
There’s no need to force it out.
When hiding brings happiness, that’s acceptable too.
‘But….’
Do-hwi, you don’t look happy.
“Me?”
Just as I had all day, I answered Do-hwi with a smile.
Then I spoke.
“I didn’t have any fun at all! Haha.”

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————