Peninsula: Starting with the nation's first love, the white moonlight

Chapter 108 The Ambiguous Restroom

"Ji-eun, the rehearsal preparations are almost complete, we can—"

Lin Xiuying pushed open the door to the lounge, but before she could finish speaking, she was stunned by the exciting scene before her.

Lee Ji-eun was kneeling on the sofa, pinning Lee Lu-ran beneath her.

She pressed one hand on Li Luran's shoulder, and with the other hand tried to pry away Li Luran's hand that was blocking his face. Her brows were furrowed, giving her a cute but fierce look.

Li Luran, who was pinned down by her, looked helpless, like a big dog that had been bullied but was too lazy to struggle.

This scene is clearly a classic example of a domineering female CEO bullying an innocent young man.

Hearing the noise from the doorway, the two entangled people turned their heads in unison and looked towards the door.

Lin Xiuying stood by the door with her arms crossed, a meaningful smile on her lips. She didn't say anything, just quietly watching the two of them.

"Ahem—Um, Ji-eun, could you get off now?" Li Luran cleared his throat and whispered a reminder to the girl who was pressing down on him.

Lee Ji-eun then seemed to wake up from a dream, hurriedly scrambling off Lee Lu-ran, then lowering her head and using the act of straightening her clothes to hide her embarrassment.

Her pretty face was already as red as the sunset, both shy and embarrassed, yet still exuding a charming allure.

Lin Xiuying walked in, wearing high heels, her expression as usual. She fully demonstrated the professional qualities of a professional agent, as if everything that had just happened was an illusion.

Lee Ji-eun also hurriedly stood up, but the expected questioning did not happen. Lin Xiuying bypassed her and chatted with Lee Luran.

"Lu Ran, what brings you to the company today?"

Li Luran's mental fortitude was clearly far superior to that of the young girl next to her; she quickly regained her composure.

"I was just lazing around at home with nothing to do, and since I knew IU had a music show performance tomorrow, I came over to see if there was anything I could do to help."

"Cough cough." In order to save Zhi'en's sister's innocence, Li Luran forced himself to find an excuse about a broken foot.

"Um—actually, something fell into the gap between the sofa and Ji-eun. We searched for a while but couldn't find it, so we moved a little too much. Please don't misunderstand, Soo-young noona."

Lin Xiuying turned to look at Li Zhi'en, who was so embarrassed she wanted to disappear into the ground.

"Is that really true, Ji-eun?"

"Of course it's true!" Lee Ji-eun suddenly looked up, the blush on her face still lingering, her eyes darting around.

When she gets nervous, she speaks so fast it sounds like she's rapping.

"Unnie! My phone just fell somewhere! I've been sitting on this sofa eating a sandwich, so I thought it fell into a crack!"

Lin Xiuying glanced silently at the coffee table. The girl's phone was lying there perfectly fine. She was really lying through her teeth.

However, Lin Xiuying was too lazy to expose them. She was already numb to their little schemes. As long as nothing serious happened, she would turn a blind eye and let them be.

"Alright, finding the phone is the priority."

She quickly changed the subject, "Jie-eun, rehearsals are almost done. Once you're done here, head over to the dance studio."

Then she added another sentence.

"Lu Ran, why don't you come along too?"

"Okay, unnie!"

Lee Ji-eun felt as if she had been granted a pardon. She hurriedly turned around, grabbed her phone from the table, stuffed it into her pocket, and rushed out of the lounge with her head down.

Li Luran and Lin Xiuying exchanged a glance and laughed simultaneously.

Half an hour later, in the practice room.

Lee Ji-eun stood in front of the mirror, working with her backup dancers to refine the final details.

Li Luran and Lin Xiuying stood side by side on one side of the practice room, watching quietly.

As soon as the music started, Lee Ji-eun seemed like a completely different person.

The shy demeanor she had shown before was gone; once she got into work mode, she exuded confidence and charisma.

Even though many people questioned Lee Ji-eun's dancing ability, in Lee Lu-ran's eyes, Lee Ji-eun's movements were clean, neat, and full of spirit, so dazzling that it was impossible to look away.

As the song ended and the music gradually faded, Lee Ji-eun turned to discuss a few details of her movements with the backup dancers, while Lee Lu-ran was still somewhat reluctant to leave.

He had actually heard Lee Ji-eun sing this song many times, but each time he was drawn into a completely new emotion.

Perhaps that's the charm of a top singer.

"Sooyoung noona, Ji-eun is becoming more and more adept at controlling the stage." Lee Lu-ran looked at the girl who was bowing and thanking the backup dancers and praised her softly.

"There's absolutely no doubt that I'll take first place on tomorrow's music show."

Lin Xiuying watched Li Zhi'en's retreating figure, smiled and nodded, her eyes full of satisfaction.

"I've watched Ji-eun grow up, from being questioned about her appearance when she first debuted to now being praised as the nation's little sister."

"She shed so much sweat and tears in the practice room."

"It's entirely reasonable that we've achieved such results."

Lin Xiuying paused for a moment, then solemnly said to Li Luran, "Also, Luran, Nuna wants to ask you for a favor."

"Nurhaci, please speak." Li Luran withdrew his gaze and listened attentively.

Lin Xiuying sighed softly, as if carefully choosing her words.

"Ji-eun may seem carefree at first glance, but she is actually very sensitive."

"She's like a younger sister to me. From now on, no matter what happens between you two, please—don't hurt her, okay?"

Li Luran was stunned for a moment.

"Sooyoung noona, I—"

Before Li Luran could finish speaking, Li Zhi'en came skipping over, wiping the sweat from her forehead. Her little face was flushed and she looked incredibly cute.

"Sooyoung unnie, what are you two whispering about behind my back?"

Lin Xiuying took a clean towel and handed it to Li Zhien.

"Ji-eun, quickly wipe your sweat, be careful not to catch a cold from the wind."

"I was just praising you to Lu Ran, saying you'll definitely win the top spot tomorrow without a doubt."

"That's for sure!"

Upon hearing this, Ji-eun immediately raised her chin proudly.

"Oh, right!"

Lee Ji-eun suddenly remembered something, turned to look at Lee Lu-ran, and said expectantly, "Lee Lu-ran, you have to come with me to the event tomorrow, right? Didn't you keep saying you hadn't seen me in person?"

Li Luran looked at her smiling face, and the corners of his mouth turned up slightly.

"Then let's look forward to the moment when Ji-eun holds the trophy."

After making an appointment with Li Luran, Li Zhi'en rehearsed even harder, and time passed quietly as she sweated profusely.

After the rehearsal, Lee Ji-eun took a shower, changed into clean clothes, and hurriedly pulled Lee Lu-ran out of the company.

"Ji-eun, where are we going?"

"Oh, just stay with me, you won't sell me out, will you?"

Ji-eun spoke lightly, her smile mysterious.

Half an hour later, the two arrived at the door of a coffee shop.

Li Luran looked up and saw that Li Zhi'en had brought him here once before, and it was the same shop where the two of them shook hands and made up.

As I pushed open the door, the wind chimes on it rang with a clear, crisp sound.

There was a girl sitting by the window, the afternoon sun shining through the window and falling on her long hair.

The girl heard the noise too. She turned around, and the moment she saw Lee Ji-eun, she smiled brightly: "Ji-eun unnie, you're here!"