The number one playboy on the Peninsula!

Chapter 259 #Tarot goes back to China, and dawn breaks over the fish farm!#
At 7 a.m., as the concert curtain fell, the 200,000 fans at Longhu Libeng Island were dispersed by security personnel and local police. They repeatedly looked back at the boy on the stage with reluctance, his tall figure sitting there waving goodbye to them as they left.

A group of girls, their beautiful skirts billowing in the sea breeze, carried handbags or held light sticks, while their other hands collected trash left behind at the venue. Seeing this, local officials couldn't help but remark to their colleagues, "They chose the right singer, and they chose the right fans..."

"Wow, these fans are really well-behaved. There haven't been any disturbances or stampedes in the past three days..."

"...If a single cordon can stop 10 people, how can their behavior not be high?"

Amidst the scattered whispers, a fan in the departing crowd suddenly turned around, waving a support sign, and looked towards the stage. The camera on the big screen was still on; Gong Cheng's face, illuminated by the sea breeze and sunrise, warmly watched them leave. She called out, just like she did during a fan meeting, "Oppa, go back and rest..."

"..."

Many of the Akana who were leaving heard the girl next to them shout and turned around. The strong "withdrawal reaction" began to spread from the moment the ribbons fluttered and the show ended. For them, certain moments that the boy on stage brought them were eternal in their memories.

The brief few hours felt like a grand celebration, but the ebb and flow of departure was an endless withdrawal reaction, like a short but beautiful dream, dreaming of the boy smiling and basking in the sunlight on the big screen, radiating warmth, and then returning to the headphones.

"Go on your way, see you next time?"

Gong Cheng stood on the stage, which was covered with confetti, waving to the fans who kept stopping and turning around. His smiling face, tilted to the side, looked...

Backstage, many staff members from local departments responsible for wrapping up the event watched Gong Cheng's tall figure with admiration and chatted with their friends. "No wonder he's so popular. There's a reason he's successful. In the past, which other artist would just get into their van and go back to the hotel to rest after an event?"

“These past few days, Tarot has been greeting us backstage staff both on and off stage, saying thank you for your hard work, and even bringing us coffee and meals. They're so humble and modest. I don't even want to talk about those celebrities who have a little bit of popularity but still act like big shots and look down on others…”

"Senior, Daewoo oppa asked us to film a documentary for you. He and Qianhao senior are helping the staff wrap up." Hwang Yeji held a small camera, his fox-like eyes narrowed, and he smiled brightly. Shin Yuna, Shin Ryujin, and the others were playing around with him.

Gong Cheng took a sip of the water Choi Ji-soo handed him and smiled. "Okay, I'll take you guys out to eat after this. Let's have a good rest for a day and go back to Seoul tomorrow. It's rare that we don't have to practice, so I'll take you guys to relax in Yantai."

The three-day concert has come to a successful end, which is worth celebrating. But what he wants to do most is to eat, go back to the hotel to sleep, and then relax with his younger brothers, including Huang Lizhi, after waking up in the afternoon.

Over the three days, the kids helped out a lot, delivering water, arranging costumes, and so on. In addition, they practiced at the company, and since they were close to their debut and were key candidates for debut, their holidays were pitifully short, so they immediately cheered!

"Nice! Senior, I've already planned everything." Shin Yuna excitedly waved her little fist. Everyone had a great time on this trip to Yantai. Being busy and tired didn't matter, but following this senior on a tour really gave them a taste of what a true top-tier celebrity is like...

Hwang Ye-ji smiled and pressed the power button, gazing at Gong Cheng's lazy, casually chatting face in the camera lens. She felt that this senior was still the same as before, unchanged. The first person she met when she came to JYP from Jeonju was Gong Cheng in front of her, when he was about to debut.

She later even appeared in his music video. Recently, several of their stage performances at his concert topped the trending searches on Chinese and Korean entertainment news, generating massive buzz. She knew perfectly well that this was truly "favorite daughter" treatment; she was already riding on the coattails of this top-tier senior's popularity even before her debut. She couldn't even imagine what it would be like after her debut...

"Why is the sky overcast again?" Gong Cheng put the microphone back into its box, raised his eyelids to look at the sunlight obscured by dark clouds, and it looked like it was going to rain. The weather in Shandong had been bad recently, with mostly cloudy skies and light rain.

So to be honest, he and many of his staff weren't very confident about the sunrise this morning, but the sunrise did happen as expected. Now, whether it's cloudy or not is no longer important.

Lee Chae-ryung jogged onto the stage, slightly out of breath, "Senior, there are quite a few artists from your country backstage who want to take photos with you. I heard from Daewoo oppa that some of them are your friends."

"Okay." Gong Cheng nodded in response. In the past few days, quite a few of Yu's artists have come. Apart from his big fans and fan site admins, almost all the VIP seats were occupied by singers or actors.

Hwang Yeji, holding a camera, followed behind Gong Cheng, occasionally asking Shin Yuna and the others pointless questions, leaving Gong Cheng speechless. "Aigoo, you haven't improved at all, Hwang Yeji. All this nonsense you're asking will be cut in post-production. You'd be better off walking with Yuna, Ryujin, and the others for a bit. At least you'd have some screen time and show your faces. According to your debut plan next year, the company won't cut your scenes; they'll give you some exposure..."

"What kind of things are you trainee teachers teaching...?"

While grumbling as he walked, Gong Cheng arrived at the concert backstage. The staff were busy packing up the valuable equipment. Gong Cheng greeted them with a light laugh, "Thank you for your hard work..."

Turning a corner, I saw many familiar faces in the corridor: Hu Ge, Liu Sisi, Tang Yan, and some I didn't recognize but had seen on entertainment trending topics: Liu Feifei, Yang Mi, Anjiula, and some younger faces, all of whom were actors and singers.

"VCR, documentary filming, do you mind?" After greeting the others, Gong Cheng smiled and pointed to the camera in Huang Lizhi's hand, asking.

Dilraba excitedly chimed in, "Is it that solo documentary that JYP has been filming for over a year but still hasn't released?" Her striking features revealed her excitement. She knew a lot about Gong Cheng; JYP's so-called "Tarot documentary" had been announced a year ago, officially confirmed by the company, but the fans had been waiting and waiting...

"Yes." Gong Cheng smiled awkwardly, then walked into the dressing room with the others. BLACKPINK, Bombardment Meteor, and others were sitting on the sofa inside. They had all watched the three-day performance.

Meanwhile, the woman from Daegu was chatting with... Kim Tae-yeon? Im Yoon-a? Lee Soon-kyu?
Gong Cheng looked surprised. When did these three arrive? Shouldn't a show like "ratings poison" be nominated for the Baeksang Arts Awards? Or did they not even get a nomination this year?

Kim Tae-yeon winked at Gong Cheng, but after seeing the group of artists around him, she didn't say hello. She, Lee Soon-kyu, and Im Yoon-ah had arrived the next day, but hadn't come backstage; they had simply come to watch the concert and were now coming over to say hello.

Gong Cheng smiled knowingly, turned around and chatted with Dilraba and the others. Then, with a raised eyebrow, Dilraba took out a stack of albums and photocards from her backpack. "Tarot, can you sign this for me?"

She was still somewhat reserved in front of him, which made the boss, Yang Mi, roll his eyes repeatedly. Wasn't she shouting "Oppa, Oppa!" enthusiastically in the audience? Why did she become so timid in front of him?

"Okay." Gong Cheng took the pen from Jin Dayu's hand with a flourish, signed his name quickly, and then took a photo together.

This scene left Kim Ji-soo and the others speechless. There were several photocards of Gong Cheng on the table. He was very famous, and in fan groups, a single photocard could fetch an incredibly high price. If those photocards were signed, their value would immediately double. It was clear that the Chinese actress in front of them, with her exotic looks and stunning beauty, really liked Gong Cheng and had spent a lot of money on photocards and albums...

Not to mention, in the current fandom, a new universal currency has emerged in the photocard market: "Tarot" photocards. The basic idea is that his photocards are not only scarce, but their rarity also commands high prices. Besides selling them for money, you can also exchange them for other people's photocards, albums, and other valuables…

This demonstrates the impact of his personal influence on the overall fan base...

"Is Gulnazar bluffing? OK."

“Song Zuer…”

"Zhang Ruonan, Zhang Jingyi..."

Gong Cheng signed several albums and photocards in one go, and then took a group photo with several people. It wasn't until Che Qianhao came over to urge them that the work was almost over and it was time to leave that the group of artists waved goodbye and left.

"I hope there will be opportunities for cooperation in the future."

"..."

Gong Cheng smiled and nodded, watching them leave. He then turned and sat down on the sofa, feeling exhausted and sleepy! He really wanted to hug and kiss his female relatives, rub them, and go to sleep...

"Why are you guys here? You didn't even call me?" he asked Kim Tae-yeon and the others. The short-statured leader, usually so talkative, had managed to keep her mouth shut perfectly this time…

He had seen the trending topic on the Peninsula Daily Gossip a few days ago and wondered if the group had actually come. But since he hadn't heard any calls, he assumed they were busy with their schedules.

With a smile, Lin Yoona, her long, flowing hair slightly parted, said, "Of course I'll cheer for you! Aren't you surprised? The concert was amazing!"

"I was quite surprised to see Yoona, and Taeyeon and Sunny are here too..."

"What? Is it superfluous?" Kim Tae-yeon snorted coldly. Why is she being treated differently?

The dozen or so people present couldn't help but chuckle. Lee Soon-kyu, who was barely noticeable, put his arm around Gong Cheng's neck and joked, "Did you watch today's gossip drama?"

"A daily gossip?" Gong Cheng asked, his lips trembling. *Damn it, you guys aren't the editors-in-chief behind this, are you? Trying to piggyback on my fame, huh?*

Bae Joo-hyun and Oh Se-hun also cast curious glances, clearly showing their interest in Gong Cheng's scandals. It was mainly because Gong Cheng had become so popular; no one expected that some media outlets specializing in Gong Cheng's scandals would create a dedicated "Daily Scandal" column featuring only him. The problem was, there were always different scandals every day, much to the amusement of fans and the public…

Im Yoona and Kim Tae-yeon glared at Lee Soon-kyu in unison, their faces darkening.

Looking at the expressions on the faces of the two people in front of him, Gong Cheng couldn't help but probe, "I can't say anything about Jessica, but Yoona, Taeyeon, are you two really at odds because of me?" As he spoke, a sly smile appeared on his face...

Huang Lizhi covered his mouth in surprise, hesitating whether to turn off the machine in his hand.

Lim Yoona glared at Lee Soon-kyu with her big, round eyes and went straight for Gong Cheng. Lee Soon-kyu laughed and shook Gong Cheng's arm, "Noona is my witness, it's true!"

"Stop talking nonsense, unnie..." Im Yoona retorted angrily. [Daily Scandal] is too far-fetched, isn't it?

Kim Tae-yeon, however, crossed her legs, a hint of disdain on her face, dismissing the joke's inappropriateness. She then casually asked, "Noona, let me ask you, do you think Yoona is better, or am I better..."

"Oh dear, they're recording here," Gong Cheng reminded her, noting that this woman was quite tactless when joking around in private.

"Kenchana, let's just treat it as an ideal World Cup. What do you think about Yoona and me..." Kim Tae-yeon waved her hand dismissively, knowing that Gong Cheng was just trying to scare her. This kind of content wasn't actually that sensitive, and the scale wasn't that big. But even if it were filmed, even if she and Gong Cheng didn't care, JYP and SM wouldn't let this content leak out.

Gong Cheng raised an eyebrow, thinking how smug he was, and without even thinking, said, "Yoona noona, huh?"

"why?"

Everyone present looked over curiously. Wasn't Taeyeon their ideal type?
Kim Tae-yeon stared, feeling a bit embarrassed, while Im Yoona couldn't help but let out a soft snort, something she'd never done before...

"Don't be angry, noona. I was afraid that if I chose my ideal type, Taeyeon, on camera, fans would say I have bad taste. But in private, you're still my ideal type, noona, really." Gong Cheng blinked sincerely, making Kim Taeyeon nod. Then, she snapped out of her daze and kicked Gong Cheng angrily, "Ugh! In the end, you're still saying I'm not as good as you..."

"Hahaha……"

Lee Soon-kyu was laughing so hard she could barely breathe...

……

Meanwhile, at 9 a.m., the trending topics exploded rapidly on various social media platforms in China, including Weibo, Douyin, and Kuaishou, and were also widely reposted by netizens and fans to foreign websites, where they were reported by numerous media outlets...

Top 1 trending topic
#People's Daily: Tarot Sunrise Concert: A Two-Way Striving for Performance Innovation and Local Cultural Tourism#
#Looking back on the May Day holiday that's about to end, among the numerous and diverse performances this year, Tarot's Sunrise Concert garnered significant attention. The three-day event attracted millions of music fans and many overseas admirers to Shandong to "listen to the sea breeze and watch the sunrise together." This was not only an innovative performance but also a carefree and romantic celebration of youth.#
This grand musical journey, brimming with vitality, featured renowned Chinese Grammy-winning singer Tarot (Gong Cheng) performing a brand-new single from his debut Chinese album. "A Copy of Time" unveils the mysterious veil of Tarot's past through the world of the song, revealing his resentment, stubbornness, sorrow, frustration, and relentless journey. The phrase "second life" has become a popular buzzword, much like the song "Born Towards the Sun," which concludes the concert, emphasizing the courage to pursue dreams. This is the best interpretation of youth through music.
#Let's all look forward to Tarot's world tour's first stop in the second half of the year: the Bird's Nest!#
#21st Century Business Herald: #Tarot Sunrise Concert Attracts Over One Million Fans #Tarot Ignites Yantai #What Does a Superstar Concert Trigger? #Tarot Effect #Most Domestic Celebrities Attend Tarot Concerts and Share Photos from the Scene #
#During the May Day holiday, Tarot's Sunrise Concert was held at Longhu Libeng Island in Yantai, Shandong, reigniting the city's economy. This concert was Tarot's first solo concert, and on the first day, many music critics exclaimed that the scale of the venue and the number of attendees was unprecedented. Its strong box office appeal was remarkable, attracting over 60 fans to Longhu Libeng Island and millions of fans to Yantai during the three-day concert.#
According to statistics from the local cultural and tourism department, the concert boosted surrounding consumption in food, accommodation, tourism, transportation, and entertainment by over 50 billion yuan. The number of visitors and spending at Yantai's accommodation, catering, and tourist attractions all saw several times the growth compared to the same period last year.
#Sports Daily: ...#
#Entertainment Newspaper: ...#
#Tarot went back to China, and the fish in the mainland are already out in the sun!!!#
The comment sections of major trending topics have been flooded with messages...

"My god, the Tarot effect is fucking amazing! Locals in Yantai, seriously, for the past three days, the entire city of Yantai has been filled with Gong Cheng's fans, no exaggeration (see attached photo). They have fans from every country..."

"Dude, I'm on a business trip in a city next to Yantai, and the hotels are fully booked..."

Will the official media personally promote Tarot's concert at the Bird's Nest in the second half of the year?

"Damn it, haven't you seen how much Shandong Culture and Tourism's official account has been posting about Tarot these past few days? The thing is, it really does boost the economy!"

"The true god has arrived!"

"I went with my girlfriend, and we only managed to get tickets for the 2nd. I have to say, I'm totally impressed, guys. He's fucking handsome, no joke, even without makeup. He's a nine-head-tall guy, and his physique is so amazing that even I, a grown man, can't be jealous. Now I understand why those fans always say that you can debut just by your looks, he's got god-like looks... and he's so talented too! His Chinese single is also really good..."

"I'm on the high-speed train, just got off the concert three hours ago, feeling really emotional. Then I suddenly remembered that Oppa's concert was on May Fourth Youth Day and held in Shandong—what does that even mean?!... During the last song, some girls in the audience were waving the five-star red flag! It gave me goosebumps. The location, date, song selection, sunrise—everything matched up! What kind of unparalleled romance is this? And the weather in Shandong has been rainy these past few days, with the sunrise only this morning, and it went down right after the concert! Oh my god!!!" "All I can say is, for those of you with the budget, Tarot's concert is a must-see! The stage design, equipment, and equipment were all top-notch. The singing and songs are beyond question; he's a Grammy-level artist. A three- or four-hour concert, all live vocals, plus gifts for fans, real-time particle rendering technology—where else can you see that? It's overflowing with sincerity..."

"I'm on the high-speed train back to Beijing. Thinking back to the first night I heard 'Life in Time,' I felt a real pang of heartache and mixed emotions. Seeing millions of people buying tickets for his concert filled me with pride and joy, but I couldn't suppress the bitterness. I didn't know how to be happy for him. From the Han River Bridge to the Grammys, and then to the official website personally supporting his Bird's Nest concert, it's only a 28-minute drive from my home to the Bird's Nest. In those 28 minutes, he walked for three years. Many people think he became famous at a young age, and his journey was fast and smooth, but the hardships he endured are something I don't even know where to begin to explain..."

"I was a security guard at the concert, just finished my shift. Don't worry, everyone, Tarot just got in his car and went back to his hotel to rest. I've had several close encounters with Tarot over the past three days, and to give you my personal opinion, he's a really good person. There's a reason he's so popular. He's very polite and well-mannered. He almost always obliged our requests for photos and autographs. He never missed a meal or coffee, but he never publicized it. He's very low-key; his manager just distributes everything to the staff. The first thing he did after the concert was to greet the staff and say thank you for your hard work. His professional skills and character are truly outstanding..."

"..."

……

On the evening of May 4th, Gong Cheng groggily got out of bed, picked up his phone from the bedside table, glanced at the messages from his female relatives, and then got up and went to the bathroom to take a shower and wash up.

After he came out again, he took a casual suit out of his suitcase, changed into it, and sat on the sofa to reply to his girlfriends' messages.

In addition, the members of Bombardment Meteor have all arrived in Seoul and sent news of their arrival. Except for Jackson Wang and Lay Zhang, the rest of them have returned to Seoul. As for Jackson Wang and Lay Zhang, they had breakfast in the morning and then got into their vans to go to the airport to fly to their respective filming locations in China.

Tickets for Bombardment Meteor's Japan stop tour are completely sold out, but the tour dates are around mid-month, so there's still some downtime. Everyone's busy with their own individual schedules. For example, after "Idol Producer," Jackson Wang took on a show called "Hot Blood Dance Crew" as a guest, which airs on iQiyi. Among the main guests are a few familiar faces, like Lu Han and Song Qian...

Zhang Yixing, along with Tang Wei, who is also doing well in the Peninsula entertainment industry, is filming a period drama called "Ming Dynasty". They were on set at the beginning of the year and their scenes are about to wrap up. He also has a movie called "The Island" directed by Huang Bo.

Gong Cheng got up, kicked off his slippers, and walked out of the suite in his canvas shoes. He then discovered that Huang Lizhi, Shen Youna, and the others were all up, along with Bae Joo-hyun and the others from BLACKPINK. Lim Yoona and the others had taken the same flight as Oh Sehun and the others at noon...

Since the tickets were already booked, I didn't keep any more.

"Let's go eat..." Gong Cheng yawned, put on the blue and white striped shirt he was holding, and smiled broadly at Bae Joo-hyun, who was whispering with Kim Ji-soo beside him. "Joo-hyun, do I look good today?"

Jisoo glanced at Gong Cheng suspiciously, then at Joo-hyun beside her. Something felt off. But Joo-hyun sat on the sofa with a serious expression, her fair face smiling as she scrutinized Gong Cheng. His blue and white shirt and white straight-leg pants gave him a tall, casually handsome look, but she squinted and pointed to the corner of his mouth, saying, "His lips look a little dry..."

As she spoke, the woman from Daegu curled the corners of her lips. After finding the feeling of chatting online, every move she made with Gong Cheng was pleasant, as if they understood each other without words...

"Your lips are so moist, are you seeing things, unnie?" Kim Jisoo frowned and curiously looked at Gong Cheng's lips. His lips were a normal color, but slightly damp, as if he had just drunk water. What a handsome young man with red lips and white teeth...

Gong Cheng glanced at her sideways and snorted, "What do you know, you idiot?" Emotionally idiot, Kim Jisoo! He wasn't just saying this randomly; back when he was dating Zhao Meiyan, whenever they argued, that boyfriend would always go to Kim Jisoo, and the excuses this guy taught that boyfriend were all terrible ideas…

This person, however, thinks he's incredibly capable and reliable! He's repeatedly displayed an attitude of seeking credit or being arrogant. He's clearly just a novice…

"Who are you talking about? You!" Kim Jisoo looked indignant, but because there were so many people around, she suppressed the urge to go up and tear his mouth apart. Did he not want to be with Miyeon anymore? Sometimes she wondered, I am still your girlfriend's friend, don't you know how to respect me?
When other boys date, they all manage to make their girlfriends happy. But after she met Gong Cheng, he almost never made her feel at ease!

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, let's go eat." Gong Cheng apologized hastily and perfunctorily, waving his hand without any sincerity. A third wheel! Why is it that no matter who I'm with, there's always this third wheel, Xiuxiu?

It's a bit better that Kim Jisoo doesn't know about Lim Nayeon yet, but when he's with Jo Miyeon, Kim Jisoo always shines brightly. Now that he has some feelings for Bae Joo-hyun, he feels like he's just one step away from it all, but Jisoo is like a nightmare, constantly circling around him...

He was quite surprised that Bae Joo-hyun and BLACKPINK came to his concert together. When did these two become so close? They only met last winter, didn't they?

"Let's go, Jisoo~" Bae Joohyun whispered to soothe the irritable Kim Jisoo. She was somewhat exasperated by Gong Cheng's sharp tongue; he was really good at it. However, she was already used to it. But the two of them were always bickering, and she had some doubts about their relationship. It felt so complicated.

Sometimes, the interactions between Kim Jisoo and Gong Cheng reveal a relationship that goes beyond friendship, yet they still seem to have a love-hate dynamic. It always feels like Jisoo harbors a lot of hostility towards Gong Cheng, but she also cares about him a lot, creating a very contradictory and conflicted dynamic.

A large group of people, along with their agents and bodyguards, arrived at a well-known Shandong cuisine restaurant in the north of the city in three vans. Upon entering the private room, Kim Ji-soo sat down next to Gong Cheng.

It wasn't something she wanted to do. The main reason was that Jennie and Chaeyoung, along with a few others in the group, were eyeing Gong Cheng, and she felt obligated to keep an eye on this dishonest scumbag for Zhao Meiyan's sake. While waiting for the food to be served, she quietly pursed her lips and whispered in Gong Cheng's ear, "Was that diary entry in the 'Exhausted' MV written by that pabo before?"

"Hmm... what's wrong?" Gong Cheng nodded, fiddling with the cutlery. The people at the table were all friends from the industry, and since they were girls, they chatted away, talking about everything from makeup to gossip. It was quite interesting. Lisa was still talking about who asked her for the contact information of the idiot woman next to her.

Jisoo glanced at Gong Cheng with a sly look. "Has that Pabo seen the music video for this song?" She felt that Pabo was doomed! He had already fallen deeply into the trap set by the person in front of him. How come he's just like Taylor Swift, always writing songs for women?
"Not yet. The music videos haven't been released, let alone the music video. Besides, she only debuted two days ago, she's very busy, don't bother her." Gong Cheng picked up a Tsingtao beer, poured himself a glass, took a sip, then stared at Kim Jisoo with mixed feelings, and said, "The roles have reversed, Jisoo, do you understand?"

“None of us expected that the conversation that happened three years ago would now turn into a situation where our perspectives are reversed…” Gong Cheng was the one who was once at the center of the storm, and now Zhao Meiyan is the one at the center of the storm because of that incident. Her group (G)I-DLE also officially debuted on May 2nd.

Kim Jisoo listened in silence. What had happened now seemed utterly absurd. A trainee who had worked hard to debut had finally made her debut after many years of hard work, while a boy who had no interest in being an entertainer and had rejected countless talent scouts had instead gone further and further into the industry, moving faster and faster...

"The lyrics are quite fitting; you're a complete liar, just like you were back then."

She took a sip of her beer, and her shimmering silver earrings swayed as she slightly raised her cheek...

Gong Cheng took a sip of his drink, recalled some past events, and smiled helplessly. He had always known the source of Kim Ji-soo's hostility towards him, but so much time had passed that there was nothing more to say.

"Cheers to the successful conclusion of our senior's concert!"

Hwang Ye-ji cheerfully picked up the orange juice and held it up. Shin Yuna and the others next to her curiously inquired about BLACKPINK's life after their debut from their seniors, their eyes full of longing and envy.

"By the way, can I ask you something?" Kim Jisoo put down her wine glass and changed the subject. She suddenly remembered that friend of Lim Nayeon's. She always thought that so-called friend was probably one of the members of Twice. The friend's excuse was just a cover-up for someone else.

"You said."

"I heard that someone in TWICE is secretly dating. Did you know about this?" Jisoo's face lit up with gossip. Nayeon really thought she could fool her? Hmph~
Gong Cheng thought for a moment, "Aren't they all dating me?"
But his answer was, "Yes."

"Jihyo and Kang Daniel from Wanna One." Gong Cheng's cheek was close to Kim Jisoo's ear, just centimeters below her chin, where her large earrings were visible, and her pink earlobes were near the corners of her lips. Her ears always turned red when she drank.

"We're not officially dating yet, we're still playing hard to get, but I guess it'll be soon..." He used Park Jihyo as a shield, but he didn't publicize it at the dinner table so that everyone would hear it. After all, Kim Jisoo is very discreet about these kinds of things, she knows what she's doing and won't gossip to others.

Kim Jisoo frowned, somewhat surprised. "It really is them? There are quite a few rumors circulating in the industry about this." Many people in the industry know about Park Jihyo and Kang Daniel's relationship, mostly from the male side. They probably think his good friend is showing off because he's dating a member of a national girl group, and that's how the rumors started. On the other hand, with TWICE, even if the members know about it, they usually tacitly help keep it a secret.

After all, their achievements and popularity speak for themselves; if any of them gets into trouble, it will be detrimental to the group's future...

When Kim Jisoo first learned of this inside story, she suspected that the friend Lim Nayeon mentioned might be Park Jihyo! Now it's confirmed!
"What are you talking about?" Bae Joo-hyun asked with a smile, holding her Coke. Her flushed face looked like she had drunk several glasses.

Gong Cheng laughed it off, "We were talking about people in the industry pursuing Jisoo. Oh my god, is Jisoo that popular in the industry?"

"What do you think?"

"..."

Halfway through the meal, Gong Cheng received a phone call and walked out of the restaurant. While chatting with Park Jin-young on the other end of the line, he found a quiet spot to enjoy the night breeze of Yantai, where a light drizzle was falling from the hazy night sky.

"Come back tomorrow and have a good rest for a few days..." Park Jin-young said on the other end of the phone, his words full of smiles and concern for the great success of the concert. "The school's anniversary celebration has also started. They invited TWICE and your performance, but I declined. However, you can come back to the school with me and show your support."

"Okay, bro." Gong Cheng scratched his stray hairs, glanced at Jin Dayu who was standing not far away, puffing on a cigarette, and walked over with a smug look on his face. "Alright, Zhenying, that's enough. Let's go back and talk."

After hanging up the phone, Kim Dae-woo and Gong Cheng stood side by side under the eaves, watching the light rain fall. The private room in the restaurant was too stuffy, and the BLACKPINK members were chatting enthusiastically, the air thick with heat...

Smelling the lingering smoke in the rain, Gong Cheng smiled wearily at Jin Dayu, "Let's find some time to look at houses, bro." He was referring to the villas he had asked Jin Dayu to help him find at the beginning of the year, and wanted to finalize the matter before Bombardment Meteor's tour in Japan.

Although it's supposed to be a break, PRODUCE 48 still has to be recorded, but it's much easier than flying all over the world.

Kim Daewoo nodded, “There are several good accommodations in Itaewon, Hannam-dong, and Cheongdam-dong, north of the Han River…” As they chatted, he finished his cigarette. Seeing that Gong Cheng still hadn’t gone back, he was about to ask him when he caught a glimpse of Bae Joo-hyun walking towards him. He looked surprised for a moment, then quickly and tactfully left.

Gong Cheng followed his gaze and saw Bae Joo-hyun walking up to him. He asked, "Why did you come down?" Daegu women are being really direct lately!
"Look what you've been doing, taking so long to go upstairs." Bae Joo-hyun looked up at him. Tomorrow she was going back to Seoul, and they'd have to chat online again, just like always. Back in Seoul, Kim Ji-soo had told her to have her "sister" be direct after testing the waters, to just ask that little pervert if he liked her…

"We're on the phone, talking about our schedules," Gong Cheng said truthfully. "And you, aren't you preparing to debut in Japan? You must be busy by now, right? I wish I could be like you, Joo-hyun, lying in your dorm all day and having a good time..." There was no teasing or joking in his words, it was the truth.

Bae Joo-hyun is quite the diva; she even wore a pink baseball cap in the night, as if afraid of being recognized. With the brim raised, her dark eyes looked at Gong Cheng and she said, "Tch~ Do you know how many people envy your schedule and resources? Don't be so ungrateful."

Putting everything else aside, just considering Gong Cheng's fashion resources, even the three major fashion companies in the peninsula are somewhat lacking in fashion resources, far less than Gong Cheng's resources alone.

"If I give it to them, can they handle it?" Gong Cheng curled his lips, his tone somewhat arrogant. Then he squatted down on the stone embankment at his feet, presumably to accommodate the height of the Daegu woman, so that she wouldn't have to lean on it and get a sore neck.

Bae Joo-hyun squatted down in his manner, but no matter how she squatted, there was still a height difference between her and this person. She felt tiny, like a lump!
“I’ll be busy once I get back to Seoul…” Bae Joo-hyun brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, then extended her slender index finger, peering out from under the eaves at the rain. Tiny raindrops splashed “biubiu” on her fingerprint…

Gong Cheng watched the raindrops drifting under the eaves and hitting Bae Joo-hyun's face. He reached out and shielded the Daegu woman's forehead with his hand. True to his big-headed nature, one hand wasn't enough to completely block the rain from her. "Then let's keep in touch? Let's meet up more often..."

Celebrities' schedules are always busy, so many people in the industry have relationships that are quick and easy, like dating and ending quickly. But he looks down on that kind of relationship. The woman in Daegu who is with him is not that kind of person, otherwise she wouldn't have gone from being the most handsome man in Daegu to an old woman.

Bae Joo-hyun curled the corners of her lips, glancing up at the large hand held horizontally in the air, its fingers long and straight. "I'll really be very busy this year, so if we meet, it'll have to be in line with my schedule. And why do we suddenly need to meet more often? Weren't we chatting quite well on the phone before?"

An irrepressible smile played on her lips, radiant in the night. She was worried that Gong Cheng was too eager to take things further. To be honest, she was eager too, but she really wasn't ready. She wasn't a casual person...

"Because I miss you so much when I can't see you, because you really did black manicures, because I'm waiting for you to come and take away our first kiss." Gong Cheng squatted on the ground, circling a twig he'd picked up from somewhere in the puddle, looking quite embarrassed...

As for my relationship with the old woman from Daegu, it's okay to take it slow. I've been too busy this year, so busy I can't stop. Plus, there's a whole bunch of stuff going on with Lim Nayeon, Jo Miyeon, Kosaki Saya, Natsumi Ina, and Son Chaeyoung. I need to slowly free up my slender hands to work on Joo-hyun...

"How did you know I had black nail polish? I didn't take a picture for you..." Bae Joo-hyun subconsciously ignored what he said before and after, and was suddenly a little surprised. She hadn't worn sandals or anything at the concert these past few days. Was he just guessing?

Gong Cheng casually tossed aside the branch in his hand, straightened up, and stood up. "I guessed~ Let's go upstairs~ Kim Jisoo is very cunning."

He chuckled. Of course there was a traitor! Bae Joo-hyun went to get her nails done with Kang Seul-gi. During their conversation, he casually asked what colors the women in Daegu had on their nails, and Seul-gi told him the truth! Lord Gong has connections everywhere!

"Do you have a foot fetish?" Bae Joo-hyun stood up, adjusted her baseball cap, and asked him quietly.

She could understand some of the quirks boys might have, but it just felt so awkward...

"..." Gong Cheng's smile froze for a moment. He didn't say anything and walked straight into the private room.

The atmosphere inside was still lively when Kim Ji-soo started performing her so-called signature magic tricks for Hwang Ye-ji and the other unsophisticated guys, which were utterly awful...

……

(End of this chapter)