The number one playboy on the Peninsula!

Chapter 271 Mina-nii: I deserve to die!
"Xiao Cheng, how are you feeling?"

"Such a busy schedule, it's heartbreaking to see..."

Minami's "aunt" smiled nonchalantly, her handbag tucked behind her shoulder. Although she was a psychologist invited by the Minami family, she had no choice but to call out her name twice to avoid being recognized by Miyako and his members, as well as the staff on site.

As an expert in the field of psychotherapy, building rapport and creating a sense of closeness with patients is something she often does...

Gong Cheng smiled politely, his words sounding like the usual concern of an elder for a younger person. "It's fine, it's just that jet lag is a bit difficult, but I've gotten used to it after being in the industry for so long..."

He told the truth, feeling that the Mina family was being a little too kind to him...

Mina's mother was alright, but he was meeting his father, brother, and aunt for the first time...

The scrutinizing gazes from Mina's father and brother made him feel uneasy.

Mina, his "aunt," stared intently at his micro-expressions with her narrow eyes. She didn't seem to be lying. Just as she was about to ask something else, she began, "Then you..."

Before they could finish speaking, Gong Cheng interrupted them, and they were led to the dressing room backstage at the Nissan Stadium. The huge room was filled with sofas, staff, stylists, and about twenty or thirty people bustling about. "Aunties, uncles, please have a seat. Our staff can give you a tour. After the concert tonight, I'll treat everyone to dinner..."

Wu Sehun gave Mina's family and the smiling Gong Cheng a strange look before being pulled away by the stylist to do his makeup and hair.

It really looks like a meeting of the parents. Mina's father's scrutinizing gaze was a bit too obvious, but her brother's eyes seemed to dislike the maknae (youngest member)...

Has the relationship between the maknae and Mina progressed to this point?
Thinking of this, he couldn't help but sigh softly... What would happen to his other younger siblings...?

"You're too kind, Makoto. We're just here to see a concert..." Mina's mother sat down on the long black leather sofa, carrying her bag. It was clear that Makoto and the other kids were very busy right now, so she said politely, "We won't be a bother to you here, will we?"

"It's okay... Uncle and Aunt, your manager will take you to your seats when the concert starts, so don't feel pressured." Gong Cheng took the bottles of water that Jin Dayu handed over and gave them to Mingi's family. He smiled brightly and said, "Then it's settled, Uncle and Aunt. We'll go out for a meal together after the concert."

Mina's father withdrew his scrutinizing gaze after a while, and smiled rather kindly, "Did Mina ask you to take good care of us?"

“Ani, I would have done it even without Mina-chan’s reminder.” Gong Cheng took the costume from the staff member, and then heard Mina’s aunt say with a smile, “Thank you in advance, Cheng. We’ll chat over dinner tonight, you go back to work…”

"Okay." Gong Cheng, holding the stage costume, waved and turned to go to the dressing room not far away. After quickly changing into his opening outfit, he thought for a moment, took out his phone, and sent a message to Mina: "All done. Your parents are very satisfied with me (sticks out tongue)."

【Mina-chan the Stingy】: "What did you do? I just asked you to deliver two tickets to Mom and Dad (questioning)"

"Nothing happened, but your father was looking at me strangely, like... he was looking at his future son-in-law?"

Gong Cheng stroked his chin, thought for a moment, and made up a story. Then he asked, "We agreed to invite your parents to dinner. Which restaurants in Yokohama are good? Can you recommend one? I'll make a reservation now..."

"After all, I'm not very familiar with Yokohama... I can't make it too shabby, can I?"

【Mina-chan the Stingy】: "Are you trying to please my parents?"

"Oh, I would have done the same if it were Sana-chan's parents. I can't help it, they have good upbringing and high moral character." Miyako replied with a smile. Mainly, since Mina's parents were already here, it would be convenient to have a meal together, and it wouldn't take much time.

【Mina-chan the Stingy】: "...You've already gotten Sana-chan into bed, shouldn't you feel a little guilty when you meet her parents?"

"I don't like talking nonsense with someone as vulgar as you. If I were that kind of person, how come you're doing so well? I'm not talking anymore, I'm busy..." Gong Cheng stuffed his phone back into his pocket. Mentioning this topic, he felt a sudden sense of desolation, as if the road ahead was long and fraught with difficulties...

The only person who can stay by her side is Tofu, but Tofu's heart is not very firm. She wavers from side to side, and she seems to be a fence-sitter!
That's why he was so eager to provide resources for Lieutenant Kim. To put it simply, by following Cheng Ge, he aimed to make her a Blue Dragon Film Award winner in the future, a move that would be incredibly lucrative...

……

Stepping out of the dressing room, Gong Cheng changed into a matte black shirt, rolled up his sleeves, and wore bracelets given to him by his female relatives. His sharp trousers and well-proportioned figure caught the eye of the Mina family sitting on the sofa...

The four people were shocked to varying degrees. Mina's older brother, a burly man, sat on the sofa, sizing up the boy who had captured his younger sister's heart. He had heard from their parents that his sister liked him, and he liked his sister too, but the two were not together...

It's upsetting enough that someone is eyeing your own sister, but the fact that you're not together seems to be even more upsetting...

After looking at it carefully for a while, and sitting in front of the mirror, letting the makeup artist put earrings on his face, Mina's brother seemed to understand why his sister liked this guy. Mina had always been a sucker for good looks since she was little...

This kid is even more handsome than in the poster! But can being handsome protect Xiao Nan?

Gong Cheng ignored the several glances he was receiving from behind. When dealing with Mina's parents, politeness and enthusiasm were enough, but being overly enthusiastic wouldn't be appropriate...

People need to have a sense of propriety and distance, especially since he and Mina-chan have nothing to do with each other, and anything is a matter for the future.

"Drip bell bell!"

His phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID—[Taylor]—a work friend, so there was no need for formalities. He answered the phone directly. His stylist, Nuna, was fixing his hair. "Hello, Taylor..."

"I wrote the female vocals for 'Exile.' Take a look when you have time, what do you think?" Taylor's soft chuckle came through the phone...

“OK, tonight then. We’re getting ready for the tour now. I’ll give you an answer when I get back to the hotel tonight. You’re moving pretty fast.” Gong Cheng smiled and replied, “If possible, let’s meet in Seoul in a few days. We need to record it first; this project is in a tight schedule…”

“Yes, sir,” Taylor said.

"..."

After finishing his conversation with Taylor, Gong Cheng took a sip of water and remained seated. Kim Dae-woo came over and started talking about the schedule for the next few days, "The night after the concert, we'll go back to Seoul for the recording of PRODUCE 48."

"The LV and Tarot collaboration ad shoot for the new season, the Aston Martin new model launch, Armani and Bulgari ad shoots, a whole bunch of fashion magazines, the Parasite movie crew..."

"In addition, we've also received endorsement contracts from other brands under the LVMH Group..."

"LVMH?" Gong Cheng thought for a moment and asked. LVMH Group is the world's largest luxury goods group, with more than seventy brands under its umbrella. LV is just one of them. Other brands in the blue and red tier include Dior and the jewelry brand Bulgari...

They primarily cover five major sectors—wine and spirits, fashion and leather goods, fragrances and cosmetics, watches and jewelry, and high-end retail—as a group…

In addition to its well-known high-end luxury brands, it also owns some lesser-known high-end luxury brands.

Kim Dae-woo nodded and smiled, "LV's new season financial report is out, so all that talk about competitor rules is utter nonsense! Armani, Louis Vuitton, Burberry—the three brands you're wearing, regardless of their competitive relationship, their financial reports have improved significantly compared to before you became their spokesperson..."

"Especially in the Asia-Pacific region..."

"The unparalleled brand return on investment is also our trump card in negotiations with watch and car brands. Aston Martin's sales in the first half of the year were quite alarming. Otherwise, they wouldn't have been in such a hurry to launch the model next month instead of the one originally scheduled for August..."

"Mercedes-Benz is also in talks..."

The long list of itineraries caused Mina's "aunt" on the sofa not far away to have her pupils contract. She wasn't sure if Mina's parents could understand Korean, but she could hear it clearly because she had worked on the peninsula for several years.

As a relatively high-income profession, psychologists are certainly familiar with high-end luxury brands. Moreover, for an expert like her, the consultation fees are very expensive, and she owns her own mental health hospital, so her income is considerable.

She glanced at Gong Cheng, who remained expressionless not far away. In all her life, this was the first time she had ever seen an artist with such good fashion resources.

More importantly, the hectic schedule she had just heard about was utterly relentless, with absolutely no room to breathe, and incredibly high pressure...

She silently made a mental note of it.

Kim Dae-woo chewed his gum, hesitated for a moment, and then said, "In addition, many brands, seeing the success of LV, Armani, and Burberry in the Asia-Pacific region, are also turning their attention to K-pop or artists across Asia..."

"This is a good thing. Does this mean I've contributed to Asian artists?" Gong Cheng chuckled lightly, unconcerned. Not long ago, several artists who were officially announced as brand ambassadors in their home countries all had titles like "ambassador's friend," while he had rejected those brands...

In reality, it's just picking up some scraps and leftovers.

Kim Dae-woo nodded. "That's true, but the company is thinking..."

Seeing his hesitation, Gong Cheng smiled and asked, "Do you want me to communicate with the LVMH Group and try to get some brand ambassador or friend titles?"

"Pretty much. The LVMH Group values ​​you a lot, as you know. Besides Louis Vuitton, their official LVMH website posts your posters every few days, promoting your new song and congratulating you on your awards," Kim Dae-woo said with a smile, referring to some of the company's senior executives.

Everyone knows perfectly well that the directors on Chungmuro ​​Road, the musicians from Europe and America, and the high-end luxury brands from France, Italy, and the UK are all after Gong Cheng. The company has little initiative in this, and is even very passive, making it difficult for them to say anything.

Bernard Arnault, the patriarch of the LVMH Group, had a high opinion of Gong Cheng and had hinted to him more than once that he could sign Dior as well, but Gong Cheng did not react.

The so-called "competitive rules" simply don't exist if you become popular enough and generate high enough returns.

Just like brand endorsement fees, they vary depending on the spokesperson's fame, influence, fan base, as well as the brand's positioning, marketing strategy, and cooperation method. Top sports stars or entertainment stars can command tens of millions of yuan or even more for endorsing well-known watch, clothing, or car brands, while smaller brands or those choosing lesser-known spokespeople will receive relatively lower fees.

For example, even if Yoona signs a global ambassadorship with a brand, the signing fee might only be around a few million RMB a year. For Yoona and other artists, the title might be more important than the signing fee.

For Gong Cheng, the signing fee and the brand's quality positioning and tone are more important than the brand's title; he has a choice...

The brand's financial reports are the best proof...

"Don't take me so seriously, bro." Gong Cheng chuckled. He was very clear about his position. The brand needed him as a "Tarot," provided he was popular enough. Actually, like his senior colleagues in Chungmuro, he had influence. He could easily give a few roles to others in the company, or ask the brand for a few titles.

But why do this...?

An individual is an individual, and a company is a company...

Just like his relationship with Park Jin-young, they are fellow students and have a good relationship in private. But when it comes to the company, as clients and service providers, their positions are different, so there's no need to be too hypocritical, and neither of them should assume anything...

Whom should the company promote?

"Who else could it be? The company's biggest assets right now are TWICE and you. Although personal data has been opened up, the company doesn't have many resources in this area." Kim Daewoo smiled helplessly.

Gong Cheng smiled and said, "Okay, I'll give it a try. But let me make it clear first, it will most likely be a quota system, unlike the bundling system the company used to use with local brands. I don't know the specific title either, it might not be too high or too low."

He was quite willing to lend a hand to the women in the company. Even without the company asking, he would help secure some fashion resources if a suitable opportunity arose. Then, he looked at Kim Daewoo seriously and said, "Brother, next time something like this happens, why do you act as a messenger? Who asked you to speak up? Who are you supposed to tell me..."

He figured the person who brought this up couldn't possibly be Park Jin-young. If it were that guy, he would at least have made a phone call, probably one of the department heads...

"Well, I'll just mention it briefly..." Kim Dae-woo.

Gong Cheng stood up and glanced at Wu Sehun, who had just come out of the dressing room. He was wearing a white shirt and black trousers. "Sehun hyung, the backup dancers who just walked by seemed to be wearing the same outfit. Did you run into a fashion clash with one of them?"

“Oh, mine has embroidery.” Wu Sehun pointed to the plain white embroidery on the collar, shrugged, but glanced somewhat uncertainly at the backup dancers passing by outside the door, touched the tip of his nose, and felt a pang of sadness in his heart…

Did they really crash?
……

At 7 p.m., the harbor of Yokohama, a bustling and modern port city, is ablaze with neon lights...

Inside the open-air Nissan Stadium, the deafening noise and shouts, like waves crashing against the sweltering air, filled the air. Mina and her family sat in a comfortable private box led to them by the staff.

The room features a sofa, coffee table, and a grandstand with floor-to-ceiling windows. The refrigerator in the private room is stocked with drinks, and snacks are laid out on the coffee table.

From Mina's mother's perspective, the upper-level VIP box offered a panoramic view of a vast sea of ​​people and waving glow sticks. She couldn't help but exclaim, "It's truly amazing, every seat is taken..."

"Hey, do you know what people online call May and the upcoming June?" Mina's father said with a smile.

"what?"

"The happiest month of June..." Mina's "aunt," who is also a psychologist, replied with a smile, "because Tarot and Bombardment Meteor will be holding concerts in Japan in the past few days and next month, so it's called the happiest month by the public..."

"Just now, in the hallway, I saw many heiresses of conglomerates holding Tarot support signs; their popularity is unparalleled..."

Mina's brother snorted.

Mina's mother turned to the psychologist and said, "Eiko, do you see anything? Our Mina is very concerned about this matter. I quite like Makoto; he's very polite and good-looking."

"There are too many scandals." Mina's brother said, his tone somewhat dissatisfied.

The boy on stage was so famous that it was hard for him not to know about him...

The psychologist, known as Eiko, said slowly, "It's hard to say right now, since we haven't talked much. Let's see if we can have more conversation during dinner tonight..." Then, she glanced at Mina's family and sighed, "Honestly, in these kinds of situations, it's best if he doesn't resist and we can have treatment or diagnosis face-to-face..."

"It's hard to say based on just a few words and some observations..."

She spoke up about her professionalism, but deep down she had some suspicions. With his busy schedule and drinking problem, perhaps this boy singing on stage, surrounded by "stars," might actually have some psychological issues.

After all, she has been in this industry for so many years, and the types of people she has come into contact with most are either teenagers, men and women who are infatuated with relationships, or celebrities!
Even a significant number of celebrities have sought her prescriptions for treatment...

"However, based on our interaction this afternoon, while I can't say for sure if he's sick, he certainly makes a good son-in-law." Eiko jokingly teased her old classmate, Mina, whose father was her university classmate, and who had specifically invited her over...

"Also, I've seen quite a few of his scandals. To be honest, after you told me about Tarot, I collected a lot of information about this kid from different periods..."

"There's very little information about his childhood, and he's never talked about it. The only certainty is that his biological parents passed away when he was young, and he was taken back to Seoul by his parents' friends, who are now his adoptive parents. There are photos of him with his adoptive parents when he first returned to Seoul online, and just looking at his eyes as a child, you can see..."

"What's so great about it?" Mina's mother pressed, then sighed.

"It's not good. I can't quite put my finger on it. You can compare it to a photo of Minami when she was seven years old. You'll see that Minami smiles brightly now, but that child... she doesn't seem happy or sad. She just looks indifferent..." Eiko analyzed earnestly.
"Plus, the environment in Philadelphia is very chaotic. Some of the sensitive content in his rap lyrics, such as guns, ammunition, violence, and pornography, is very similar to that place. Moreover, his parents passed away when he was 7 years old, which is already an age where he can remember things. It's likely that he suffered some kind of childhood trauma..."

"Later, he went to study in Seoul. His adoptive father was seriously ill and hospitalized a few years ago. He worked part-time while studying, engaging in violent debt collection and underground boxing. I have seen photos of him before his debut. He is a completely different person from now. His indifference in childhood is no different from his pre-debut days. He is very wild."

"But getting into Yonsei University really shocked me. To be honest, I admire him. In that kind of environment, with violent debt collection and such, you might say he went astray, but there was a reason. That kid was doing it to earn money to treat his adoptive father's illness. Although it's not honorable, he was only sixteen or seventeen years old at the time."

"He still had to study normally during the day and even got into SYK. I remember the information said that not only Yonsei University but also Seoul National University sent him acceptance letters, and he ultimately chose Yonsei University." Eiko sighed softly, her expression complicated. She really didn't know what to say about Gong Cheng's experiences before his debut. "These things all demonstrate his strong mental fortitude and self-regulation. Can you imagine someone going out to violently collect debts in the middle of the night and then sitting in a classroom studying during the day? The thing is, he still got acceptance letters from two top universities with excellent scores..."

"After my adoptive father recovered from his illness, videos of him drunk were uploaded online by passersby. It was like his luck had turned around, and he joined JYP Entertainment. But what was worse than his childhood was the boycott he faced when he first debuted. I specifically looked up reports and information from that period, and that kind of cyberbullying is something most people can't handle..."

"To be honest, if it were any other artist, or someone like Xiao Nan, they might have become depressed or changed careers long ago. But this kid turned around her public image in just a few months, and then last year she completely made a name for herself in Europe and America..."

She glanced at the stunned Mina family in the private room, especially Mina's brother, whose expression seemed somewhat bewildered. She sighed, "You might not know much about him, since he's just Mina's colleague, but I've read almost all the information I could find about him before his debut and all the information I have about him after his debut..."

"A startling fact is that in his third year since debut, he has been under constant pressure with no breaks. He's almost always either working on solo projects or filming dramas and group comebacks, and this situation is still ongoing. After all, his world tour in the second half of the year is being heavily promoted, and it's a project that will likely last for at least six months..."

“Like those rumors you just mentioned, countless rumors.” Eiko pointed to Mina’s brother. “Regardless of whether the rumors are true or false, if he really has some psychological problems, then these rumors are also related to him. Celebrities are human too. Put yourself in his shoes, and I guess anyone else would have broken down long ago…”

“Me? A scandal…did I say that…” Mina’s brother sat on the sofa, his broad shoulders and thick waist hunched over, his hands clasped together, his face looking somewhat distressed.

Psychologist Eiko smiled and reminded him, "Didn't you say it? Put yourself in that child's shoes. If you were that child, with countless people in the world paying attention to your private life and gossiping about your scandals every day, it would be like living under a crystal house. Do you think you would feel good about it?"

"Besides, you are a colleague's family member. You may show some dissatisfaction, but in that child's eyes, he will still smile and respectfully call you 'brother.' But what does he really think?"

"..." Mina's older brother, a burly man, trembled slightly, but quickly regained his composure. His heart, however, was in turmoil. He had no prior knowledge of Makoto Miyamoto's family situation, only having overheard his parents mention on the train to Yokohama that Mina liked Makoto very much...

Add to that the scandals that trend on social media almost every day, and it's hard for him not to view that boy with prejudice...

But now, after Dr. Eiko's analysis, it's clear that her biological parents died in childhood, she went to Seoul alone with no one to rely on, and had no friends...

Later, when she was a teenager, she earned money to pay for her adoptive father's medical treatment and surgery...
Mina's brother clutched his head, inwardly growling, "I deserve to die!"

He remembered that he hadn't given Gong Cheng a friendly look since they met...

"How did this child's biological parents die?" Mina's father sighed and asked.

"I don't know, there's no information at all. He and his adoptive parents rarely mention their past in public. His adoptive mother, however, often talks about his childhood, like how he was the little tyrant of Yeongdeungpo District..." Psychologist Eiko shrugged.

"Later, after he became famous, many of his middle school teachers and classmates came forward to reveal some things, saying that he was very handsome since he was a child, and was almost the school heartthrob in whichever school he attended. In middle school, many talent scouts would wait for him at the school gate after school, wanting to recruit him as a trainee, but they all refused..."

"According to classmates, although he is handsome, he is difficult to approach. His academic performance has always been among the best since elementary school, especially his talent for languages. His textbooks, besides books and lunchboxes, are filled with love letters of various colors. Moreover, rumors about him have been circulating since his school days. In junior high school, a girl pursued him but he was coldly rejected, and then his classmates spread rumors about him..."

"Sigh, these days, are all good-looking kids at fault?" Eiko said with a pang of sympathy. "However, the ex-girlfriend thing is probably true. YG admitted it after it happened, and that trainee left YG afterwards. And Miyako hasn't denied it since her debut..."

"That's precisely why the scale of cyberbullying was even larger in the early days of his debut. So, although this kid is cold, it's probably due to childhood trauma. He still has a lot of responsibility and commitment in his heart. Otherwise, he wouldn't have gone to such lengths to treat his adoptive father's illness, and he wouldn't have denied his relationship with his ex-girlfriend after his debut. He's a real man!"

"Of course, they won't invite us to dinner tonight either..."

Mina's brother's pupils contracted, and he felt increasingly distressed.

I fucking deserve to die!
This boy, even more outstanding than the male protagonist in a comic book, is so inspiring and legendary. What did he do to achieve this?!

"So, does that mean this child really might be?" Mina's mother became worried and pounded her fist in her palm.

Psychologist Eiko said helplessly, "It's hard to say. He has a very strong ability to regulate his emotions. He might be fine, but it could also be very serious. After all, if I had experienced what he went through, I don't think I would be completely without any psychological problems..."

“Celebrities like them often have more psychological issues. You should also pay attention to Xiao Nan and show her more care. You never know what might happen,” she reminded them.

……

Just as the group in the private room was talking, hundreds of spotlights in the Nissan Stadium suddenly went out.

The instant the spotlight went out, darkness engulfed the entire venue like a tidal wave, with only the glow sticks in the audience flickering...

Jay Park's powerful roar ripped through the silence, "New song..." The sound waves, carrying anticipation, surged across the dome.

Immediately afterwards, a sea of ​​Smeraldo flowers appeared on the large screen behind the stage. The blue and pink petals shimmered with a faint glow, like a galaxy cascading down to earth. Swaying gently in the virtual night breeze, the petals spread out like magic. In the center of the sea of ​​flowers, the title of Bombardment Meteor's new song, "The Untransmitted Heart," appeared.

The lyrics and music are all written by Tarot.

"Ah ah ah ah ah!"

"Bombardment Meteor!!!"

For the more than 70,000 fans, tonight was undoubtedly a night of surprises, because since the start of Bombardment Meteor's Asia tour, there have always been new songs performed at the concerts, but it's been quite random; maybe there will be one at the Tokyo Dome show...

Maybe not...

This is also one of the things that fans who come to watch the concert are looking forward to...

I didn't expect there would actually be a new song performed tonight. The ethereal and pure melody is soothing and gentle, it sounds like a ballad.

"This garden blooms with utter loneliness~" Gong Cheng's slightly hoarse voice entered the room, instantly captivating the ears of tens of thousands of people...

A spotlight shone on his tall figure. He wore a black shirt, spoke with a crisp voice, and had silvery hair falling around his eyes. His voice, slightly hoarse yet tender, as he sang into the microphone with his eyes closed. His face on the big screen seemed to blend into the darkness outside the spotlight, exuding a deep sense of loneliness…

"Full of thorns~"

"I have bound myself to this flower city..."

Gong Cheng stood in front of the big screen. Under the director's camera, his tall figure, humming lyrics softly behind closed doors, appeared, through a unique visual effect, as if he were lying in a sea of ​​emerald flowers. The pale blue, shimmering blossoms swayed in the wind among his silvery-white hair...

"What's your name?"

"Is there anywhere you want to go...?"

"Mmm mmm mmm~~~"

Jackson Wang, with his equally husky voice, stood under the spotlight, holding a pale blue flower in his hand, singing his part!

"..."

The members each sang their parts, and the entire 70,000-seat stadium fell silent the moment Gong Cheng's opening song began. Bombardment Meteor's ballads were really good!

"Please don't smile at me..."

"Please light my way..."

"Because I can't get close to you..."

Gong Cheng opened his trembling eyelashes, his deep, affectionate eyes filled with unspeakable sorrow. The instant the lyrics began to play, dozens of slender spotlights suddenly swept over him, outlining his tall figure...

Her eyes, framed by stray hairs, held sorrow and loneliness. "But I still want you~"

Her soothing voice made the fans in the audience scream instantly...

…………

Inside the private room, when the psychologist, Eiko, heard Gong Cheng sing that line, she instantly got goosebumps. No wonder he's a Grammy winner!

The scene was really stable!
But she frowned as she looked at the Emerald Flower on the big screen. She had heard of the legend of Smeraldo, a flower with a lot of knowledge, so she started to talk about it in the box, saying, "In the 15th and 16th centuries, in a castle in a town in Italy, there lived a man with a tragic background and an ugly appearance."

"Because of his tragic past, he was unable to open his heart to anyone, and his only interest was planting flowers in the courtyard..."

She began to recount the legends of flower language, perhaps due to her long experience as a psychologist, she always seemed to be analyzing other people's psychological activities. And after seeing that the lyrics and music of the song she was singing were both written by Gong Cheng…

Eiko wanted to try to understand him by looking at his songwriting, since she had listened to many of Makoto Miyamoto's songs, many of which told his own stories...

Mina's attitude towards Makoto Miyamoto has changed more and more. Now she's starting to worry about this boy who might become her brother-in-law in the future. "Auntie Eko, wait a minute, if the legend of the flower language you mentioned is the background of Makoto's song creation, then..."

"A tragic backstory does fit, but an ugly appearance? To be honest, Xiao... Xiao Cheng's looks are so good that both boys and girls would be jealous. It feels like even a manga couldn't capture his appearance..."

After a brief analysis, the psychologist, Eiko, quickly offered an explanation: "For a genius like him, a tragic past is a reality, and his ugly appearance may symbolize his broken heart, a heart riddled with wounds..."

"Furthermore, the song's title, 'The Heart That Cannot Be Passed On,' begs the question: why can't it be passed on? Perhaps it's because of deep-seated trauma, something unspeakable, something he doesn't know who to confide in… Actually, I feel that his childhood experiences might have given him some autistic tendencies; after all, the coldness in his eyes during childhood can't be faked…"

"Children at that stage were all very innocent and cute, but while their handsome looks from a young age were also adorable, they were too cold and aloof..."

“It really is…” Mina’s brother nodded in agreement, then became somewhat anxious.

Although she looks fierce, the reason she gave Xiao Nan's boyfriend a hard time was simply out of concern for her younger sister.

What should we do now?!

How could my brother-in-law do that?

……

At 11:30 p.m., the first day of the concert at the Nissan Stadium came to a successful conclusion.

"Brother, I won't go back to the hotel with you guys for now. I'll entertain your uncle and aunt. You guys go have fun." In the backstage dressing room, Gong Cheng changed into a simple T-shirt and shorts. The Yokohama night was refreshingly cool with the sea breeze, which he quite liked, making him feel more at ease.

Lin Yingxiong nodded and joked with a smile, "I should have a good meal with my future father-in-law and mother-in-law."

The members burst into laughter in the locker room. Park Chanyeol, like a complete idiot, inhaled sharply and showed off his muscles. He'd been working out for nothing, but at least it had some effect. However, compared to the defined muscles of Gong Cheng, Park Jae-beom, and Jackson Wang, this guy had to deliberately lift his hips and inhale to show off his abs...

“Maknae, Mina’s brother looks really scary. Be careful. I have a feeling he’s hostile towards you…” Wu Sehun kindly reminded him, then took the water Gong Cheng handed him and took a sip. “We’re going to an izakaya for a drink and a bite to eat later. If you get back early, just call us and we’ll come right over.”

"Yes, there's an izakaya near the pier in Yokohama with a really nice atmosphere. It would be a shame not to try it," Zhang Yixing agreed.

Gong Cheng responded, then picked up a camouflage baseball cap and put it on his silver-white, tousled hair. "Yeah, we'll see. If I get back early, I'll go straight there..." With that, he waved and walked out of the locker room. "I'm leaving now. Just in case I forgot to remind you, it's Chanyeol's turn to pay tonight. He's going to rip you off!"

"Aigoo, is it really necessary, maknae? It's just that I opened two extra bottles of wine when you treated me last time, right?" Park Chanyeol stood next to Oh Sehun, smiling irritably, but Gong Cheng ignored him and walked away...

He had originally planned to quietly finish his dinner tonight, pay the bill, and that would be fine. When the members dine together, they take turns paying, and today it was his turn...

Jay Park put his arm around Chanyeol's neck. "Damn it, it's not just two bottles of wine. What the hell did you do when I treated you last time?!"

“Yeah, the bill last time shocked me!” Jackson Wang walked over with a smile. Everyone had both old and new grudges.

"Ani, it's my treat, it's my treat, order whatever you like, okay? Haha..." Park Chanyeol smiled helplessly, promising to obey...

……

"..."

The howling night wind rustled through the streets of Yokohama.

Gong Cheng and his family, including Mina, sat in the nanny van, driven by Che Qianhao. The van was large enough to comfortably accommodate Mina's family.

He opened his phone to reply to a few messages from his female relatives, and then chatted with Mina's mother. "It would be a lie to say I'm not tired, Auntie, but that's how it is for celebrities."

"There's no such thing as being busy or not. I'm incredibly busy right now, spending all my time on flights, while many other artists are just envious..."

Upon arriving at the reserved restaurant, Mina's mother patted Makoto Miyamoto on the shoulder and earnestly advised and cared for him, "No matter how busy you are, you can't be without a proper rest, can you?"

“I see you’re in Seoul one minute, China the next, America the next, and Yokohama the next. No matter how important your career is, it’s not as important as your health, is it? If Xiao Nan were as busy as you, her father and I would be heartbroken…”

“Yes, you can come to Hyogo to play sometime, or just come over to our house for a visit.” Mina’s brother rarely speaks, but when he did, he startled Mina’s parents and Makoto.

Gong Cheng looked at him with a surprised expression. "Big brother, what are you up to?"
Are you trying to get me into a mess with Hyogo Prefecture?

"Thank you, I'll come visit sometime." He smiled and walked into the private room with Mina and her family, then pushed the menu over, "Take a look and see what you'd like to eat, Uncle and Aunt, don't be shy."

To better observe the situation, psychologist Eiko deliberately sat directly opposite Makoto Miyamoto, next to Mina's brother.

Meanwhile, Gong Cheng sat on the outer edge of the sofa in the private room, while Mina's mother and father were inside...

While ordering food...

Gong Cheng glanced at the message from Mina on his phone, "Is the concert over?"

"It's over, at the restaurant," Gong Cheng replied, then glanced at Mina's mother who was staring at him. He felt an immediate sense of embarrassment; it was strange to chat with her daughter right under her nose, especially since her nickname was still "Little Stingy Mina-chan." He wondered if the auntie had seen it...

"Auntie, how about we take a picture together? I'll send it to Mina-chan so she'll feel more at ease." He changed the subject. Just then, his phone's video call notification sounded; the phone he had just placed on the table vibrated...

The words "[Mina-chan, the stingy one]" were prominently displayed, and Mina and her family could see them clearly at the dinner table.

Mina's mother chuckled as she handed the menu to the waiter. After the waiter left the private room, she patted Makoto's wrist, her expression somewhat strange. "Makoto, why is Mina-chan such a stingy person..."

"Uh..." Gong Cheng was a little speechless, his handsome face showing some embarrassment at being caught red-handed.

He can't exactly say it's because of... fun, can he?
(End of this chapter)