The number one playboy on the Peninsula!

Chapter 290 Cash Flow and Uniqueness
"Tzuyu, you guys must work really hard on these days, right?"

Stepping out of the cool stairwell, the setting sun cast long shadows on the walls of the old residential building. Gong Cheng's adoptive mother, holding Zhou Ziyu's arm, looked down at the two shadows of the two people, one tall and one short, on the ground and asked with concern.

"Yes, it was tough when we first debuted, but it's much better now..."

Tzuyu smiled sweetly, making no attempt to hide anything. After last year, TWICE's schedule was indeed much more relaxed than in 15 and 16, but the heavier workload fell on the shoulders of her older brothers who had just returned to Seoul.

She cleverly took the handbag from the aunt and slung it over her shoulder, wanting to show off, but then glanced back at the sun-baked, cracked walls of the apartment building and asked the question that had been bothering her:
"Auntie, I heard from my brother that he bought you a new property. Why don't you move there?"

She knew that Gong Cheng had purchased the property last year. Her brother had been troubled by it for a while. The aunt in front of her and the uncle who was taking a walk outside were unwilling to move there. She felt that perhaps the aunt and uncle had a special affection for this place.

“His father and I are used to living here. It’s very convenient for us. All our neighbors and friends are in Yeongdeungpo… Besides, if my son is tired, he will only come back here, just like today. This is his home…”

The foster mother squinted and smiled as she spoke. She knew her son, whom she had watched grow up, very well. When he was tired, all he wanted to do was sleep. Perhaps he was already lying in his bedroom right now? And when he was in a bad mood, he would take his musical instruments from the study and sing or write songs...

This was a habit he had developed since childhood. When he returned home and told his wife and husband that he was going to become a singer, they were genuinely happy for their son. Young people should always do what they like.

Thinking of this, the foster mother glanced sideways at the 172cm tall girl, her pretty face still showing some childishness and naivety, and sighed, "He's a filial son..."

As she spoke, she chuckled and patted Tzuyu's hand, "You're all good kids..."

"..."

The two walked slowly out of the residential compound. Yeongdeungpo District is a highly developed commercial and residential area with a population of around 400,000. It was midday, and the streets were quite bustling. As Zhou Ziyu listened to her aunt recounting some funny stories about her brother's childhood, she eagerly looked around at the slightly unfamiliar yet anticipated environment...

Having been an artist for a long time, these ordinary little things like accompanying adults to the market, picking and choosing groceries, and strolling around have become increasingly "scarce" and "precious."

"When Xiao Cheng first came to Seoul, he went to elementary school there, and he even had a nickname in his class..."

The foster mother glanced wistfully at the school hidden at the end of the alley not far away. This primary school was one of the best in Yeongdeungpo District, and she and her husband knew it very well, both of them having previously worked in the education industry as university teachers.

"What nickname?"

Chou Tzu-yu adjusted the brim of her baseball cap, blinked curiously, and walked into the market. In front of the entrance was a seafood stall, and the fishy smell was a bit pungent, but the ribbonfish, shrimp and crabs in the glass tanks were lively and looked very vibrant.

"...small ice cubes..."

The foster mother couldn't help but laugh out loud. Then, seeing Zhou Ziyu's bewildered expression with her mouth agape, she explained, "Xiao Cheng used to be quiet. Although he was good-looking, his furrowed brows made other children seem afraid to talk to him..."

"He was also cold-hearted when he was a child. Over time, the children who wanted to get close to him but didn't know how to do so started calling him Little Ice Cube..."

"Is that so?"

"hh~~~"

Chou Tzu-yu chuckled and then pressed on with other questions about her brother, such as whether he looked like her when he was little, or whether he had dark skin.

"He's not dark-skinned, he's always been fair-skinned..."

Chou Tzu-yu looked a little dejected. Her adoptive mother glanced at her, chuckled softly, and then sighed with mixed feelings.

Has she already told these stories about her son's childhood to the second girl?

Like?

"Many of the kids who call him 'Little Ice Cube' are children from the neighborhood near Yeongdeungpo. During holidays, they often come to his house to see him, drag him out to play, and say they want to be Cheng's wife when they grow up..."

As the foster mother picked through the fresh vegetables at the market, she muttered to herself about the past. Perhaps it was because she was getting old, but she always felt that time was passing by so quickly that sometimes when she looked at photos of her son as a child, she would feel a sense of disorientation...

I never knew my son had grown so tall and capable.

"Then what……"

Chou Tzu-yu squatted down beside the vegetable stall, picked up a bright red tomato—it was quite large and looked very fresh—and tossed it into her bag. Her face, framed by her hat, listened with interest to the auntie's story, and she suddenly realized that her brother's childhood had some warmth, and wasn't as cold as she had imagined…

"Then?"

"That's all. He's a grown man now, how could he play such childish games with those kids?"

The foster mother took out her wallet, pulled out a few bills, and handed them to the shopkeeper. She then skillfully led Zhou Ziyu to the next stop, gently asking, "What would you like to eat, Ziyu? Give it to Auntie, and I'll make it for you when we get home..."

"I'm fine with anything, Auntie..."

Chou Tzu-yu pursed her lips shyly and then raised her hand to adjust the brim of her hat.

"Ani, don't be shy. Tell me what you'd like to eat. My son is quite picky, so when he was little, I tried all sorts of ways to learn your country's cuisine. So, please feel free to ask!"

Gong Cheng's adoptive mother smiled kindly, her eyes crinkled with crow's feet...

"Then I'll eat first..."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Ziyu nodded, a strange sense of joy welling up inside her. Her long, slender legs seemed to move with a lighter gait as she walked through the market. Some young passersby nearby stared at her retreating figure with astonishment, then pulled out their phones and quickly followed her…

While she stood by watching the butcher cut meat, I took a few fairly clear side profile photos.

Chou Tzu-yu was quick enough to notice the flashing lights, and turned around to look at them with a somewhat unpleasant expression.

She doesn't mind being photographed by fans or strangers, or by paparazzi... but she does mind when people photograph her brother's mother, just as she dislikes paparazzi photographing her own family...

"What's wrong, Ziyu?"

Gong Cheng's adoptive mother noticed that her expression was off; her beautiful features now showed a hint of anger. She then glanced casually at a passerby holding a phone not far away, quickly patted Zhou Ziyu on the back, and soothed her, "Kenchana..."

"Let's go, let them take pictures..."

As Gong Cheng's adoptive mother, she and her husband had become accustomed to these kinds of camera shots since their son's debut. Fortunately, in the past, few people recognized them, since it was their own son who became famous, and their faces were quite unfamiliar to the media...

The reason she was being noticed now was probably because of Tzuyu beside her, but in Gong Cheng's adoptive mother's eyes, it wasn't a big deal. At most, she would worry about the negative impact it might have on the girl's career. As for her own son...

Sigh... She and her husband no longer pay attention to their son's news and trending topics; all they see are scandals that give them a headache.

"..."

……

An hour later, Chou Tzu-yu recovered from her initial anger at being secretly photographed...

Back at the apartment building in Yeongdeungpo, Gong Cheng's adoptive mother wore an expression that said, "Just as I expected," as if her son was lying in his bedroom, asleep with his head covered!

After telling Chou Tzu-yu to sit down wherever she liked, she picked up the groceries and went to the kitchen.

Chou Tzu-yu tiptoed down the hallway that led to the living room. To the left of a decorative painting at the far end was her brother's bedroom. She pushed open the door a crack and peeked inside. Gong Cheng was curled up on his side under the air-conditioning blanket, the corner of the blanket covering his eyebrows and eyes, looking somewhat like a corpse...

For some reason, she remembered the nickname she'd learned from her aunt, and with a smug look, she whispered in Chinese into the bedroom, "Little Ice Cube~"

But no one responded, yet Chou Tzu-yu couldn't help but feel happy inside.

……

#Tzuyu meets Tarot's parents! Discussing marriage plans with both sets of parents#
#Tarot may be facing a marital grave!#
#Yoona and Jisoo are both crying#
#Daily Gossip: Exclusive report: After Taort broke up with Yoona at the beginning of the year, he quickly became embroiled in a dating scandal with TWICE member Tzuyu. Within six months, Tzuyu is suspected of being pregnant, and the two are reportedly getting married due to the pregnancy.#
#Solid Evidence 1: [Image]#
The photos show Tarot arriving at the airport in Seoul today. Gong Cheng is wearing a blue baseball cap with a Cupid's arrow pattern on the brim, which is highlighted with a bold black line. The photos are then compared to another picture of Chou Tzu-yu shopping at a market with Gong Cheng's adoptive mother.

Baseball caps that are 100% identical.

The two were wearing matching baseball caps, or perhaps Tzuyu's baseball cap was the same one Tarot wore this morning, which suggests that they have a close relationship and are dating.
[picture]
To ensure the authenticity of the revelation, Daily Gossip compared photos of Tarot's adoptive parents appearing in the audience of a TV singing competition two years ago with middle-aged women in the market, confirming that they were Tarot's adoptive mothers.

#……#
The news quickly went viral and trended on social media. Less than half an hour later, JYP Entertainment issued a statement denying the rumors of Tarot and Tzuyu dating. The company stated that it does not usually respond to rumors related to engineering projects.

However, this incident involves TWICE's maknae, Tzuyu, who is, after all, a 19-year-old girl. Putting aside the fact that TWICE is at the height of its popularity, even if the rumors are false, pregnancy is, from a legal perspective, considered defamation and damage to the reputation of the person involved.

JYP also submitted a lawyer's letter.

Just as many ONCEs breathed a sigh of relief, less than half an hour after JYP issued its response, [Daily Gossip] deleted its related posts and offered a sincere apology:

"Regarding the reports that Tzuyu met Tarot's parents and discussed marriage with both sets of parents, we admit that these are untrue. These reports were made to attract attention, traffic, and more followers..."

Throughout the entire apology essay, every sentence was sincere...

While browsing the constantly twisting and turning gossip, the members of (G)I-DLE were sitting in their van on their way to a commercial performance. Yeh Shu-hua glanced disdainfully at the apology from [Daily Gossip], "This rumor is so fake, it's complete slander..."

She and Chou Tzu-yu have a good relationship, and she knows a lot about her friend's affairs. How could someone with absolutely no romantic experience suddenly get pregnant? That's ridiculous! It's pure fabrication...

Zhao Meiyan frowned, zooming in on the photos posted by passersby; the pregnancy was fake.

But are the Chou Tzu-yu and her aunt in the picture real?
Why is someone else using the same trick as me? She couldn't help but feel uneasy, so she quickly opened the contact labeled "Auntie" and sent a message, "Auntie, how is Uncle doing lately?"

"I'm off on Friday and would like to visit you. Is that convenient?"

……

"Damn it, has the media really spread such rumors like this now?"

"They'll do anything to grab attention! But why were only the reports about Tarot and Tzuyu deleted, and why wasn't the love triangle involving Gong Taiyun deleted? Could it be true?"

"..."

Ignoring the overwhelming comments, Gong Cheng sat at home, wiped his mouth with a tissue, and smiled at his worried adoptive mother and Zhou Ziyu, saying, "It's alright, it's probably mostly taken care of..."

As he spoke, he glanced at the phone call from Park Jin-young, got up, and went to the balcony. The voice on the other end said, "It's almost done. The media has apologized. Seriously, these people! They'll do anything for attention!" Park Jin-young's voice was tinged with anger…

Gong Cheng smiled. He had already been exposed for dating before his debut, so he didn't care about rumors. His company had a similar idea, since it wouldn't affect him much. But when it involved TWICE's top star, Tzuyu, and considering that he had thrown mud at two artists under JYP, it was no wonder that this guy was so angry...

"It won't affect you or Tzuyu at all. Besides the company, the officials won't allow this to happen..."

Park Jin-young paused for a moment, then said, "In the Korean Peninsula, a country where entertainment reigns supreme, from officials to ordinary citizens, generally speaking, celebrities don't get involved in politics, but their management companies always have intricate connections with officials..."

Some lawmakers even need these kinds of agencies to provide political donations for their political purposes. YG Entertainment has had a tough time these past two years, which is essentially related to the officials behind them. When those officials fell from power, that's roughly how it is...

This country is small, with only fifty million people, yet it is also complex, with numerous political parties.

However, none of this mattered to Gong Cheng. The officials didn't want him to be implicated for a simple reason: profits! With the world tour just around the corner in the second half of the year, the name "Tarot" had, since its debut, driven a significant increase in tourism in Seoul and even the entire peninsula. It was pure and simple...

"According to your logic, you didn't get the other party to delete the rumors about you, Kim Tae-yeon, Im Yoon-ah, and other celebrities."

"I understand, bro..." Gong Cheng chuckled and chatted with Park Jin-young for a couple more minutes before hanging up the phone.

The reason why unscrupulous media outlets like "Daily Gossip" aren't completely condemned is simple: they use it to maintain their public persona.
Although he doesn't really have a public persona, being a "dating expert" or a "playboy" is still a persona. Some things are hard to predict; who knows when he might suddenly reveal his true feelings? The rumors that have been allowed to develop unchecked are actually subtly influencing certain facts...

Just as there is no such thing as a perfect person in this world, in terms of music, career, looks, and physique, in the eyes of the public, "Tarot" is perfect. However, these scandals and chaotic private life are his imperfections...

Gong Cheng knew this perfectly well, so he never flaunted any persona like "not dating or having relationships before the age of thirty-five" or any kind of "perfect artist." Wouldn't that just be asking for trouble?

Besides, he's not an idol, so whether or not he has idol ethics is none of his business... Gong Cheng's fan base is quite diverse, including die-hard fans, girlfriend fans, music fans, movie fans, fans of his looks, fans of his on-screen couple, fans of his career, and fans of his rumored relationships...

His appeal spans various demographics, but currently, most fans seem to view his scandals with amusement, as if he wouldn't be a "Tarot" without some kind of scandal? Most importantly, his music market spans the globe, not just Asia…

Since he started venturing into the US last year, the style of his songs has gradually become more aligned with overseas tastes, resulting in a surge in his overseas fanbase.

The album he's focusing on developing in the second half of the year is so important because he wants to solidify his foundation overseas. Just like the three Grammys he won at the beginning of the year, which propelled him to become one of the new top five male singers, his streaming audience is far ahead of others. The album he's currently preparing, besides consolidating his popularity, even if it doesn't take him to the next level, he still wants to maintain his leading position in streaming, and completely solidify or even break through his streaming achievements...

Ultimately, for Gong Cheng and his fans, scandals are irrelevant; the achievements and quality of his music speak for themselves.

When a song reaches number 1 on the Billboard charts, all the rumors and gossip disappear. Gong Cheng has experienced this many times since his debut...

The outside world will only say, "Tarot is still the same Tarot, the champion machine reigns supreme in the world once again..."

The title and praise were old-fashioned and cringeworthy... but Gong Cheng still appreciated them.

"..."

In the late afternoon, Zhou Ziyu got into Gong Cheng's car and headed to the dormitory. Sitting in the passenger seat, she looked at her brother's serious expression as he drove and couldn't help but suppress a laugh as she called out, "Little Ice Cube..."

"?"

Upon hearing Chou Tzu-yu's words, Gong Cheng was momentarily dazed. He glanced at Chou Tzu-yu, who was grinning mischievously, her upturned eyebrows beaming with joy. Memories of his childhood flooded his mind...

"Little ice cube~ Why aren't you saying anything~"

Seeing that he didn't say anything, Zhou Ziyu whispered teasingly again. She had seen photos of her brother from his childhood at her aunt's house. To be honest, when she saw those old photos, she suddenly realized that the nickname given to her brother by those children, his childhood friends, was absolutely right.

He had striking features from a young age, and was clearly very handsome, yet he always wore a cold expression, his brows furrowed, making him appear cold, unapproachable, and aloof...

But I learned from my aunt that although my brother seemed cold on the outside, he was actually grateful to the children who were willing to play with him. I also felt that despite his unapproachable exterior, he had a warm side that no one else knew about...

"Oh, Mom told you?"

Gong Cheng raised his hand from the steering wheel, rubbed his forehead, and suddenly some childhood memories came to mind.

"Yes, Auntie told me a lot about your childhood, and said that it was because you were a little ice cube that you didn't have many friends..."

Chou Tzu-yu chuckled softly.

"Roughly the same……"

Gong Cheng smiled, not bothering about a nickname. He parked the car at the entrance of the dormitory complex. "We're here. Get out, I have to go back to Yeongdeungpo later..."

He decided to rest at home tonight and drive directly to the company tomorrow.

As for the rumors and gossip, now that things were mostly settled, he didn't bother to pay attention to the follow-up. After all, he was busy producing the album, the upcoming world tour, recording PD48, and filming "Parasite".

"Be careful, drive slowly, little ice cube~"

Chou Tzu-yu seems to really like this nickname for Gong Cheng, and it always feels very intimate when she calls him that. She feels that if she had known this older brother during her childhood, perhaps he wouldn't have been so cold under her influence.

That handsome little boy with his furrowed brows, perhaps he still wears a warm and reassuring smile, just like he does now?
"I know, little black girl..." Gong Cheng's lips trembled. Why is she getting addicted to calling her that?
After he blurted out the truth, he saw Zhou Ziyu looking down and unbuckling her seatbelt. He immediately looked up, his eyes wide, and said in a soft, sweet voice, "What did you say, you little ice cube?!"

"You are the dark one!"

"I made a mistake, I'm dark-skinned..."

Gong Cheng always apologized quickly, showing great flexibility. For a moment, he thought of Zhou Ziyu's pre-debut Gangnam Style dance video and couldn't help but smile. But seeing his good sister's fiery glare, he quickly put on a stern face, "Go back now..."

"Illegal parking will result in a fine..."

"I'll pay your fine!" Zhou Ziyu angrily pulled out her bank card from her bag and slammed it on the center console. "You think I can't afford the fine? I'll pay with my card!" As she spoke, she glared at Gong Cheng, her expression suggesting that this wasn't over yet. So, she's finally telling the truth, isn't she?

Me, a dark-skinned girl?!
It wasn't that she was being unreasonable; she just wanted to sit in the car a little longer, otherwise her brother might be busy with work again tomorrow. Besides, in "Empresses in the Palace," women who knew how to act cute and get angry were often very lucky, provided the emperor knew how to appease them.

If you appease her, it proves how important she is to you; if you don't, you're asking for trouble and might get "chopped off" by the emperor! Or banished to the cold palace!
So, at this moment, Chou Tzu-yu was also feeling a little uneasy...

"Ani, I was just kidding..."

Gong Cheng secretly scolded himself for his sharp tongue. Actually, it seems that Ziyu's skin tone has become quite fair now. Just from listening to what the big star and the others said and from their interactions over the past two years, it's clear that the good girl applies a face mask and does skin care every night, so her skin condition is very good now...

All I can say is that first impressions can be incredibly damaging...

It's all because of little devil Duoxian! He remembered the first time he saw Tzuyu, Lieutenant Kim was standing next to his good sister, looking so fresh and beautiful. Compared to her, didn't his own good sister look even darker?

Really are……

Does my brother really think my skin is dark?

Zhou Ziyu looked at Gong Cheng with a wistful gaze, asked a question, then pouted, crossed her arms, and looked out the car window without getting out of the car or saying another word.

"how could be?"

Am I such a superficial person?

"So, does this mean I'm dark-skinned?" Zhou Ziyu's little brain worked quickly, especially since girls are extremely sensitive about certain things and prone to overthinking, just like how women in Daegu are very concerned about age and height...

Gong Cheng pondered for a moment, raised an eyebrow at Zhou Ziyu's wrinkled nose, and recalled that Ziyu seemed to be intentionally or unintentionally targeting her Shiba Inu mother these past few days. A bold guess suddenly formed in his mind: could it be...?

Do fish know that dogs are gnawing on vegetables?
The fish is the so-called Chou Tzu-yu, the dog is the puppy, and the vegetable is, of course, the beloved little cabbage!
His eyes were filled with suspicion. The more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed. Gong Cheng never thought he had done everything perfectly. It was just a series of lies of love that had ensnared his female friends, but that didn't mean there was no possibility that others wouldn't discover it!

"Even whiter than Dahyun?"

Gong Cheng first tentatively said something against his will...

"You're lying! How could I possibly be fairer than Dahyun?"

Chou Tzu-yu turned her head and looked at him angrily. "Brother, when you're trying to coax me, can't you put a little more effort into it?"

That's so perfunctory...

They're not even going to give you a way out!

"Even whiter than Sana-chan?"

Gong Cheng suddenly changed the person to ask, and in his line of sight, Zhou Ziyu, whose face was turned to the side, smiled. The smile was sly and subtle, but it was caught by the observant Gong Cheng!
He added, "Even prettier than Sana-chan?" His voice carried a slight chuckle...

"Really?"

Chou Tzu-yu pursed her lips, unable to suppress her joy.

"real……"

Gong Cheng's smile was somewhat bitter for a moment, and he didn't know what to say. He had managed to cheer Tzuyu up, but he was certain that Tzuyu knew about his relationship with Sana.

Why is the mother's defensive formation now so leaky on all sides?

Don't you understand the principle that defense wins championships...?

"You have a good eye, brother..."

Chou Tzu-yu proudly raised her head, just about to use this opportunity to back down, when suddenly she had a change of heart and remembered her good brother's "illness." She had been reading psychology books frequently lately and had gained quite a bit of insight...

Adding to what I learned from my aunt today about my brother's childhood, I keep wondering if he might have had some kind of autism as a child. So, she thinks it's better to let him find a stranger who won't open up to him for treatment in the future…

She figured she might as well do it herself, which was why she decided to major in psychology in the future. She blinked, her big eyes looking earnestly at Gong Cheng's puzzled face, "Brother, can you promise me something?"

"...Do me a favor..."

"What is it? Tell me..." Gong Cheng nodded and spoke after hearing her hesitant tone.

"I've been reading some books on psychology lately, and I'm thinking of majoring in psychology in college. If you have time, could you pretend to be my patient? I can ask you some questions, and you can answer them so I can analyze the situation..."

Chou Tzu-yu struggled to find the right words, so she came up with this lame excuse, but she really decided that she could take a psychology course in the future.

"Psychology? Is it because of the advice I gave you last year?" Gong Cheng suddenly remembered some advice he gave Ziyu during the Mid-Autumn Festival last year, smiled somewhat narcissistically, and then came back to his senses, "Isn't this just using me as a guinea pig?"

Thank goodness it's psychology; if it were a forensic pathologist or an autopsy specialist, wouldn't they have to dissect themselves?

"What white mouse...?"

Chou Tzu-yu pouted, offering a somewhat helpless yet guilty explanation, "I'll just give you some test questions, you can do them, or I'll ask you some questions, and you can just answer truthfully..."

“But I’m not sick, what’s the point of having me as your patient? You can’t analyze it anyway…” Gong Cheng waved his hand somewhat reluctantly, then saw Zhou Ziyu’s serious little face, as if she wanted to say something but hesitated. He asked again, “What’s wrong?”

No, you're sick! Seriously sick!

Chou Tzu-yu really wanted to say that, but she was afraid of hurting him, so she insisted, "I already said it's just acting, it's just pretending. I can't exactly go to a mental hospital to find patients, can I? That's too dangerous..."

"...Let's talk about it when we have time. I feel like psychology is going to be very difficult. You need to discuss this with your family..."

Gong Cheng spoke up helplessly and reminded her again. He was quite supportive of Ziyu's plans for university. After all, to be honest, most K-pop idols these days have relatively low levels of education and are mostly graduates of arts high schools.

But those kinds of schools, well, well... people always need to enrich themselves, right?

"Then I'll take that as a yes, little ice cube..."

Tzuyu raised an eyebrow, then jumped out of the car, beaming as she called out her nickname again. Seeing that her brother in the driver's seat looked a little awkward, she stuck out her tongue and waved playfully, "Be careful, brother~"

Text me when you get home!

"Okay, little black girl~"

Gong Cheng chuckled and stepped on the gas, driving off straight away, leaving Zhou Ziyu stomping her feet wildly under the streetlights, but with a joyful expression on her face...

……

"The publicity for the world tour needs to begin..."

The following day, Park Jin-young sat in the conference room, issuing a series of plans and proposals regarding Gong Cheng's upcoming world tour...

"Yes, President..."

"..."

Gong Cheng sat at the table in the conference room, listening expressionlessly to the proposals and plans from various departments, his wandering eyes somewhat absent-minded.

Then, Cheng Jin, the person in charge of publicity, looked at him and asked softly, "Xiao Cheng, what are your thoughts on the name of the world tour? We need to decide on it as soon as possible; we need to make this IP a hit..."

The tour name is still very important. For some big-name singers, they will turn the tour into a brand, like an IP. If done well, it can be very attractive. Bombardment Meteor's "Interstellar Wandering" is an example of this, except that it is more in line with the concept of the group...

At the same time, the name of the tour also conveys some of the singer's ideas and concepts...

"Should we align it with the concept of the new album?"

"Or it could fit into the concept of 'Tarot,' since the Tarot IP is still under development..."

"..."

A discussion broke out in the conference room.

Gong Cheng pondered for a moment. Developing a personal brand generally has huge commercial value; his merchandise, clothing, and dolls are one example. After thinking for a moment, he shook his head, "It doesn't fit the new album..."

"This world tour is about expanding and increasing our influence; it has nothing to do with albums or anything like that..."

He said earnestly that for singers, besides selling tickets and making money, touring is also about enhancing their image and expanding their influence... After thinking for a while, Gong Cheng got up, picked up a pen, and wrote three words on the whiteboard not far away: "【Cash Flow】"

"Why 'cash flow'?" Park Jin-young leaned back in his chair, rubbing his chin as he asked curiously.

Currently, Tarot's world tour is the company's top priority. All the venues negotiated since last year have been finalized, and the huge fan base is almost all waiting for this kid's world tour to officially kick off...

"Have we made any estimates or statistics regarding our box office revenue?"

Gong Cheng closed the pen cap, smiled, and asked, "The person in charge?"

The person in charge flipped through the documents in his hand and adjusted his glasses. "We've done some estimates. If it sells out, after deducting the cost of renting the venue and some equipment... and after accounting for those costs and marketing, for example, at the New York stop, we could make tens of millions of US dollars..."

They did not calculate the specific amount, since the ticket prices have not yet been officially confirmed. The data he provided was based on the lowest possible standard. The purpose of these calculations was to determine whether the tour's revenue and expenditure could break even or generate a profit.

A concert isn't something that can be made profitable overnight. The cost of the venue and equipment are major expenses that need to be factored into the overall cost. And if the tour fails to attract ticket sales after incurring such high costs, it will result in a loss...

But for the "Tarot" in front of them, they are not worried about selling tickets...

"Ticket prices will be set at the normal rate."

Gong Cheng spoke up, then pointed to the three words on the whiteboard and laughed freely, “A concert performance lasts about three hours. Even if the New York stop is planned for two days, six hours is still enough to take away tens of millions of US dollars. How can that not be cash flow?”

The name 【Cash Flow】 is very straightforward, and he is well aware that the second half of this year will be the period of explosive growth in his commercial value.

"The promotion of the world tour can be linked to the new album, bundled together. I'm currently working on a plan for Mercedes-Benz's music video. If possible, we can use their promotion of the music video and the official announcement of the brand ambassadors to interweave the news of the world tour's launch..."

"After all, Mercedes' marketing and publicity are much more effective than ours..."

"..."

Gong Cheng smiled and shared his thoughts... After settling the matter, he sat back down, listening to the group's discussion, doing nothing, and pondering what to eat for lunch.
After sitting in the conference room for a while, he got up, greeted Park Jin-young and the heads of various departments, and left the conference room.

After having a quick meal at the cafeteria, Gong Cheng took the elevator directly to the composition room.

"..."

He spent the afternoon refining the lyrics and arrangement of "Stay." During this time, the person in charge at Mercedes-Benz called him and delivered some of the upcoming car models to his villa in Itaewon, according to the address he provided.

This matter was entrusted to Kim Dae-woo, and he did a very good job.

Suddenly remembering the property he bought there two months ago, Gong Cheng realized that apart from signing the contract, he hadn't really visited it, let alone lived there.

After rubbing his temples, Gong Cheng wondered if he should go check it out tonight? And maybe pick up an AMG GT sports car that Mercedes had delivered from the garage and take it for a spin?

While I was hesitating...

The door to the composing room was pushed open, and a small head, equally hesitant, peeked in. Son Chaeyoung grinned, showing her little tiger teeth, and asked, "Are you working, oppa?"

"Just finished..."

Gong Cheng took off his headphones, stood up with a smile, and asked, "Is practice over?"

"Hmm~ It just ended a little while ago, and the members were all planning what to eat when I came up here~"

Son Chaeyoung, in her sweet, childlike voice, sat comfortably on the sofa. "I didn't have much of an appetite, and I didn't really want to eat anything, so I didn't go with the unnies..." she said with a grin, but her eyes were fixed on her boyfriend.

"Then come with me?"

"Come with me to Itaewon, and then have a meal with me?"

Gong Cheng thought for a moment and decided it would be better to take Chaeyoung to the villa in Itaewon. This villa was different from the large apartment in Cheongdam-dong, which belonged to him and the big star and couldn't be seen in public. But this one could be considered his residence in the public eye...

Although he didn't really want to live there after buying it, owning a house worth tens of billions of Korean won didn't really change his life. He thought he would be happier, since it's something many people dream of...

Perhaps it would be more enjoyable to go with my girlfriend?

But after seeing the little tiger's face, Gong Cheng felt that the days when the two of them hid together were gone forever. Even though the little tiger was still willing to act the same way as before, he knew in his heart that she was pretending to be stupid. She had noticed some things.

But I don't know why I didn't say anything...

This made him uneasy...

Why are you going to Itaewon, oppa?

"Is it about when you said you wanted to buy a house there?"

Sun Caiying pressed on with her questions as usual, her mischievous eyes still sparkling with a playful mischief, which made Gong Cheng quite uncomfortable.

"Inside……"

"Come with me to take a look. I bought it a while ago, but I've never been to see it before."

Gong Cheng chuckled and gently ruffled the little tiger's hair. Its long hair had already reached past its shoulders, and the baby fat from two years ago was slowly fading. Its cute little expression, with a pout, seemed to express its displeasure at Gong Cheng's messy hair.
Platinum blonde hair is their new look and hair color for their upcoming comeback.

He realized once again that everyone was slowly changing and growing...

"Okay~ I'll send a message to the unnies~"

Son Chaeyoung happily nodded in agreement. She took out her phone from the pocket of her army green wide-leg pants and told the members that she was going to check out oppa's new villa and that they could go eat by themselves.
Gong Cheng glanced at what she had edited but didn't say anything. The villa they were going to was public, so there was nothing to hide.

Right now, I just want to stay with the little tiger. What if other female relatives or members want to come and see?

He probably won't agree to let them go another day...

Thinking of this, Gong Cheng quickly grabbed a baseball cap from the sofa, put it on, and then pulled Sun Caiying's wrist, "Let's go, let's leave quickly, lest any of the members want to come along later, and I don't want to take them..."

On one hand, it's to show his affection and make the little tiger happy; on the other hand, all he wants right now is to stay with the little tiger and quietly disappear...

"Okay~"

Son Chae-young smiled happily and suddenly felt that she had an appetite again tonight.

So she decided to have something to eat with her boyfriend. Following Gong Cheng's tall figure, she went down to the underground parking garage and got into the passenger seat. Throughout the ride, Sun Caiying felt that the atmosphere was a bit strange; her boyfriend seemed worried and hesitant...

Could it be that he is worried about himself?
She cleverly speculated, tilting her cheek and watching Gong Cheng. A fleeting glimpse of a bus route sign outside the window, displaying brand new posters, caught her eye hastily. But at a traffic light, Gong Cheng stopped the bus and waited calmly for the light to change…

This time, Son Chae-young could see clearly the advertisement on the bus stop sign not far away. It was an advertisement for Tiffany rings. Next to the ring were some promotional slogans, which basically used the brand name to give the ring its value, such as "eternal" and "unique," and other nonsense...

The brilliance within the Tiffany blue box... became my lifelong interpretation of 'unique'.

Some of the promotional slogans were so cheesy and uncomfortable to look at that that Son Chaeyoung pursed her lips, but she couldn't help but think of yesterday's trending topic about her boyfriend and Tzuyu's rumored relationship, even though the rumor was quickly suppressed...

But there were traces of their existence, and of course she saw them. Then, for some reason, she remembered the things between her boyfriend and Mina, from secretly wearing Mina's nightgown to go on dates with her boyfriend to now...

At first, she cooperated with the man simply because she found it exciting, and the man seemed to enjoy it too! She also felt a kind of pleasure!

It's something I can't quite put my finger on...

So much so that even after discovering that her boyfriend seemed to have some inexplicable feelings for her, Son Chaeyoung didn't take it to heart. Perhaps it would be even more exciting? After all, her boyfriend had never been an honest man, so she just let it go...

Even when she realized that her boyfriend and Bae Joo-hyun, whom Momo unnie had mentioned that night, seemed to have something more to do with each other, she still felt a strange excitement. But gradually, she seemed to lose interest in pursuing that thrill anymore, because she became anxious and insecure…

Am I your only one, oppa?

Sun Caiying stared at the advertising slogan and suddenly asked a question.

"yes……"

Gong Cheng didn't know why she asked that, but when it's time to be a scoundrel with your eyes closed, you have to be a scoundrel! Even though, perhaps the little tiger already knew something... that's why he felt so strange, like he'd been seen through but still had to grit his teeth and act...

The traffic light has stopped.

He gripped the steering wheel, glancing at the passenger seat. The little tiger's smiling face had become somewhat serious, but he still wore a smile. He rarely saw the little tiger angry, so he always thought that among the women, Chaeyoung was the most unpredictable...

Upon hearing Gong Cheng's answer, Son Chaeyoung took a deep breath, seemingly dissatisfied with the response. She showed no anger, instead glancing at Gong Cheng's shifty eyes with a disgruntled expression. "Oppa, do you really understand the definition of 'unique'?"

She thought it over and over, and considering Mina unnie, Tzuyu, and Bae Joo-hyun, whom Momo unnie mentioned, it seemed that no matter how she counted, she wasn't the only one, right?
"Is it difficult to understand?"

Gong Cheng chuckled lightly, feigning composure. The car had already entered Itaewon territory. What should have been a short journey felt unusually long because of the little tiger's problem.

He thought for a moment, then added, "Son Chaeyoung~ unique, the only one!"

Like other mothers, she is unique. Although this statement is somewhat sophistry and unreasonable, it is the best solution.

This is also the first time he's been dating so many women at the same time; he's feeling his way in the dark, so please forgive him...

"..."

Arriving at the villa in Itaewon...

Gong Cheng and Sun Caiying got out of the car. The conversation just now made him suddenly lose the mood to appreciate the villa in front of him. It was a three-story building with a large area. There was a green lawn in the yard, as well as an outdoor swimming pool. There was also a garage for parking cars on the south side.

The transparent floor-to-ceiling windows, like display cases, showcase the vehicles sent by Mercedes. In addition to two new models that they plan to launch in the second half of this year, there are also several AMG models. These cars must cost a lot of money just for maintenance.

But it looks quite pleasing to the eye...

After unlocking the villa's gate, Gong Cheng led Sun Caiying on a tour of the villa's interior...

"..."

The two then went to a nearby restaurant and had a simple dinner.

Along the way, Son Chae-young stopped focusing on the "only" question, but Gong Cheng was still thinking about the word. He felt that he had heard "only" many times this month, not only from Little Tiger's mouth, but also from the CEO of LVMH, about the "only spokesperson"!
And here in Germany, Mercedes is giving similar explanations.

He was the brand's top priority, its sole spokesperson, but the little tiger's question had inexplicably left Gong Cheng somewhat melancholy...

"What are you thinking about, oppa?"

Son Chae-young walked out of the restaurant, patted her husband on the back, and asked with a smile, as if nothing had happened, "Shall we go to Gangnam? To the house I bought?"

"it is good……"

Gong Cheng knew where the house she was talking about was—his former dormitory, where he and Little Tiger had started their relationship.

……

Stepping back into his former dormitory, Gong Cheng turned on the living room lights and glanced at the unchanged layout. The only difference was that there were a few more potted plants on the balcony than last time. The flowers were blooming beautifully, and the leaves were lush and green, bringing a touch of life and vitality to the small house.

This place was bought by the little tiger, and it's like a secret base for the two of them, just like the secret base he prepared for the big star in Cheongdam-dong.

"Oppa, hurry up, I need to get back to my dorm later..."

Sun Caiying enthusiastically hugged Gong Cheng's neck like an octopus.

This left him somewhat bewildered. What did it mean?
Courtesy first and then soldiers?

"..."

The rustling sound of clothes being undressed filled the air as the two tumbled from the living room into the bedroom.

After a while, as Son Chae-young lay limp on the bed, silently with her back to Gong Cheng, her small body wrapped in a white nightgown, her platinum hair covering the pillow, she suddenly spoke, without turning over to look at her husband:

"Oppa, is it because you got things too easily that you don't know how to cherish them?"

"Oh, Ani..."

Gong Cheng responded with a choked voice, raising his eyelids to look at the oil painting hanging in the bedroom facing him. It was painted by the author Lee.K for the two of them, and Chaeyoung had hung it in the most conspicuous place in the bedroom...

Starting in 16, he and Little Tiger have been dating for three years now without even realizing it. The reason he likes to hide with Little Tiger is because she is his first girlfriend!

Formal!
Zhao Meiyan and her boyfriend weren't together at that time, so their breakup doesn't count...

"..."

Son Chaeyoung placed her hands under her cheeks, her eyes red and swollen, tears streaming down her face, but they all fell silently onto the pink pillow.

She didn't say anything more until she calmed down a while before speaking in a muffled voice, "Take me home, oppa."

“…Hmm.” Gong Cheng really wanted to make excuses, and he had dozens of excuses in mind, but the little tiger didn’t ask. He only asked one question, and he didn’t know how to explain it. He couldn’t possibly confess and get leniency, could he?
That's a scam to criminals!

Sun Caiying got up and dressed, no longer clinging to Gong Cheng as usual. With reddened eyes, she followed her husband into the car and returned to Jiangdong District. Along the way, the two tacitly chatted about other things to distract themselves.

Until I saw Son Chae-young walking back to the dormitory corridor...

Gong Cheng then drove away. He returned to the old dormitory where the two of them had just been intimate, the house that Little Tiger had bought. He looked at the pillow on the head of the bed, which was soaked with tears and then quickly evaporated by the sweltering heat, leaving a trail of tear stains. He felt a lump in his throat.

He didn't know what the little tiger was thinking.

He'd only said half of what he wanted to say, only revealed half of what he truly felt. He'd rather Son Chae-young had given him a good scolding, and he'd have to rack his brains trying to come up with a way to defend himself and make amends...

But none of this happened...

Gong Cheng lay on the bed, glanced at the guitar not far away, then got up in a bad mood and went to the desk in the bedroom. He casually picked up a piece of paper and pen, sat on the chair for a while, and then casually wrote down two words... the only one.

It wasn't about writing songs or anything; he was just trying to figure out what the little tiger was thinking.

As he wrote, Gong Cheng inexplicably recalled Sun Caiying's questioning tone in the car. His pen paused on the page, leaving many small black dots. He wrote down Sun Caiying's exact words.

"You really understand the definition of 'unique'..."

"It's not as simple as breathing..."

"..."

Gong Cheng pondered the little tiger's feelings with great sadness and melancholy...

"His gaze drifted away~"

"...I understand you're being clever behind my back..."

Ugh, this is so annoying! How come all the women are so clever and cunning!

"..."

Gong Cheng took a bottle of beer from the refrigerator, took a sip, glanced at the date (it wasn't expired), and then sat down at his desk.
He suddenly picked up his phone and sent a message to [Dragon of the Execution Department]!

"Zhimin, would you like to be a little less bright in the future?"

Will she become an even more idiotic Jimin?
[Dragon of the Execution Department]: "Huh, Oppa? What do you mean?"

After glancing at his vibrating phone, Gong Cheng replied to a few messages from his female relatives, then picked up his pen and wrote on a piece of paper.

"Love is essentially the same...it's just that there are too many people and it's crowded..."

(End of this chapter)