I desperately want to win on the peninsula

Amid the slightly noisy background of the restaurant, Kim Seolhyun bit her straw, her gaze wandering aimlessly around before finally settling on Lim Gwan-chiao, who was focused on eating rice.

Watching him eat slowly and deliberately, the sound of Zhou Xian and Shen Jimin chatting drifted over, intensifying her boredom and failing to arouse her interest in anything.

Suddenly, she remembered Lin Qianqiao mentioning that she wanted to go to the club next door, as if she had made up her mind.

Kim Seolhyun immediately made up her mind. She gently leaned down and moved her body slightly toward Lin Qianqiao, instantly closing the distance between them.

Her lips drew close to Lin Qianqiao's ear, her voice low and expectant, her breath warm with the subtle sweetness of a cocktail. She whispered almost in her ear, "Qianqiao-xi, how about we go to the club next door? We can leave this place to Jimin unnie and Zhou Xian-xi."

After saying this, Kim Seolhyun did not immediately step back, but maintained this extremely close distance, raised her eyelashes, and looked at Lin Qianqiao's face.

Her eyes were frantically scanning the room, her brows furrowed slightly, her gaze a mixture of anticipation for Xiu Gou to go out and run around, and a hint of nervousness and cunning as she silently emphasized her suggestion, as if afraid the two people beside her might overhear.

Lin Qianqiao was startled by her sudden close movement and whisper, and stopped eating. She subconsciously turned her head and met Jin Xuexuan's face, which was close at hand and frantically winking at her. Their eyes collided abruptly in the very close air.

Upon closer inspection, there was no ambiguous atmosphere. The only noticeable thing was that Kim Seolhyun had a few noticeable pimples on her forehead when she was without makeup, which probably meant she had been holding in a lot of anger lately.

It's understandable, really. Her recent drama, "Orange Candy," was heavily criticized, with dismal ratings and her acting being universally panned. It's quite a pity.

Instead of replying immediately, he glanced at Zhou Xian, who was still rambling on and on. He saw that Zhou Xian was beginning to grasp the rules of war. Although Shen Jimin, who was handling things with ease, was clearly better, it would be good to loosen his grip and leave room for him to make his own moves.

Thinking of this, Lin Qianqiao's gaze fell again on Jin Xuexuan's slightly soft face, and she nodded slightly: "Okay, let's talk about it after I finish eating."

"OK." Kim Seolhyun made a gesture.

Although coming to LA for business sounds prestigious, apart from having a normal lunch, dinner is just instant noodles at the hotel.

At his age, he should still be growing, and if he misses a meal, he'll feel extremely hungry. So, he ordered a large steak, two side dishes, and a drink.

Since he had to make room on the court for others to play singles, Steven naturally had to speed up his eating.

In about five minutes, he finished all the food, drank the beverage in one gulp, and finally wiped his mouth with a tissue, satisfied. That was it.

He first glanced at Kim Seolhyun, noticing her bright, sparkling eyes and the anticipation evident on her face.

Lin Qianqiao raised an eyebrow, indicating, "He'll lead the way, Jin Xuexuan, remember to stick with the group." Otherwise, everyone will be stuck here. Jin Xuexuan understood quickly, blinking to indicate, "Understood, sir!"

The two reached an agreement. Lin Qianqiao's gaze fell on Zhou Xian, while Jin Xuexuan looked at Shen Jimin, and they said in unison:

"Zhou Xian, I'm going to play at that shop next door for a while. You guys chat."

"Jimin unnie, I went with Inui Takumi, you two chat."

The two, who were having a pleasant conversation, were surprised by the tacit understanding between the other two. Shin Jimin looked at Kim Seolhyun with a strange expression, while Joo Heon tilted his head in confusion.

"Won't you sit for a while?"

"No, I'm going to play next door. If you miss me, come find us next door."

"Oh right, we don't need to pay here. I still have some savings left, and the store will automatically deduct it for me. Feel free to order whatever you want later." Lin Qianqiao stood up and suddenly remembered something, indicating to the two that they could have fun.

"Bye~" Kim Seol-hyun waved to the two who were still in a daze with a smile, then wagged her tail and followed Lin Qianqiao out.

Watching Lin Qianqiao and Jin Xuexuan gradually disappear into the distance, Zhou Xian suddenly felt that this era of judging by appearances was too much. They were right under his nose, so when did things develop like this?

"Zhou Xianxi, do you want to come along?"

"Ani-ani, I don't want to at all."

"..."

After leaving MAMA Lion, Lim Gan-chiao led Kim Seol-hyun to a club next door called APT. Judging from the name, it should be clear that it is a specialty of the Peninsula. It is an abbreviation of "Apartment," a drinking game that people in the Peninsula like to play.

APT is one of the hottest clubs in Koreatown. The music here is a mix of nostalgic old-school hip-hop, R&B and modern pop. Every corner is filled with girlish charm, and the wallpaper has a unique neon color scheme. Many people who are on business trips or traveling try to check it out.

Everything here is great, except the entry requirements are quite strict. For example, Lin Qianqiao was standing in front of the security personnel when the originally serious Asian man glanced at her for a few moments, then suddenly his expression changed and he broke into a big smile. "Bro, have a wonderful night."

"Thanks, buddy~" Lin Qianqiao waved his hand and led Jin Xuexuan, who didn't need to go through security, inside.

Kim Seolhyun walked alongside him with small steps. Remembering the several boys who had been stuck earlier, she felt a little strange and leaned close to his ear to ask in a low voice.

"Qiaoxi, why don't we need to go through security or have our ID cards checked?"

"Because we can just use facial recognition." Lin Qianqiao's lips curled up slightly.

This store is good in every way, and the prices aren't too high, but it's extremely unattractive. Luckily, he's better at finding a better deal.

What else could be the reason for such a great location...? Of course, it's because many stylishly dressed women like to visit this shop, which attracts countless men who want to come in.

In short, those who come here to spend money are either rich or good-looking.

So, the quality of this store is relatively high. It's perfect to bring Kim Seolhyun, who doesn't seem very bright, along, otherwise I'm really afraid she'll get lost.

When she heard the term "face recognition," Kim Seolhyun's round face looked a little confused, and she tilted her head and thought for a long time.

Once inside the club, you can clearly see that the young people sitting in the booths or at the bar are dressed up. At this time, people in the booths are constantly stacking their hands to build a house, and they stop when someone loses. The loser naturally has to drink.

Kim Seolhyun's gaze immediately fell on the handsome men and beautiful women on the dance floor, their eyes locked as they twisted and turned, lost in their own world interacting.

"So that's what you meant by 'face recognition'." After reading it, Kim Seolhyun suddenly understood and smiled with narrowed eyes.

"Otherwise what?" Lin Qianqiao shrugged.

Kim Seol-hyun leaned against Lin Qianqiao and said, "Doesn't that mean I'm very beautiful?"

"Well, barely." Hearing such smug and narcissistic words, Lin Qianqiao nodded slightly, which could be considered an admission.

After all, this woman is known as a stunning beauty with the perfect combination of a voluptuous body and an angelic face. Although she has a few pimples, it doesn't matter much. After all, it's hard for a beauty to be sullen, so it would be strange if she were to be criticized for her looks.

"What do you mean by 'reluctantly'? You're being way too perfunctory." Kim Seol-hyun followed behind Lin Qianqiao, chattering incessantly. Finally, the two sat down at a bar, and the men, women, and children around them clearly brightened up when they looked at them.

Lin Qianqiao ordered a non-alcoholic beverage from the bartender, as he was the driver and naturally couldn't drink alcohol.

While waiting, he looked at Kim Seolhyun, who had a face full of complaints. Seeing her pouting and puffed-out cheeks, he was slightly speechless: "How about I repeat what others have said to me?"

"Hey~"

Seeing Kim Seolhyun's princess-like behavior and her feigned cuteness, Lin Qianqiao pouted and said, "Don't try to act cute with me. What would you like to drink?"

If they hadn't just met, Lin Qianqiao would have shown Jin Xuexuan why Crayon Shin-chan's face was so round, and wouldn't have let go of her cheeks without pinching them several times.

"Just like you." Kim Seolhyun was a little discouraged.

Lin Qianqiao didn't mind and gestured for her to go to the dance floor and have some fun. "If you're bored, go play over there, but try to stay in my sight."

Upon hearing this, Kim Seolhyun clearly perked up, her face visibly brightening with a smile. Looking at the expressionless Lin Qianqiao, she couldn't help but tease him, "What if I get lost in your sight?"

"Post missing person notices," Lin Qian said succinctly and directly.

"No~ you have to say you'll keep watching me." Kim Seolhyun blinked, trying to wink at Lin Qianqiao in front of her, her tone unconsciously becoming coquettish.

Unfortunately, Kim Seolhyun looks completely harmless without makeup, and even less cute than the few pimples on her forehead.

Lin Qianqiao suppressed her nausea and waved her hand dismissively, "Go on, go on."

"Quickly say you've been looking at me the whole time~"

"Look at you, look at you."

"I'm going to play now."

Watching Kim Seolhyun swagger away like a Samoyed, waddling her hips, Lin Qianqiao sighed. They say girls who know how to be charming have the best lives.

Noticing her gaze, Lin Qianqiao turned around abruptly, her eyes widening in surprise. She was slightly speechless, forced a smile, and waved her hand, indicating that she should go have some fun.

Kim Seolhyun may have misunderstood; her eyes crinkled into crescent moons as she smiled and tilted her body to the side, making a large heart shape with her hands above her head in response.

"Ha... what a silly girl." Lin Qianqiao was completely impressed by her silliness, and a perfectly timed smile appeared on his face as he gave her a thumbs up in response.

Now, Kim Seolhyun was completely relieved and nodded with satisfaction.

The moment he turned around, he was like a big dog that had been unleashed, bursting with pent-up energy, and plunged headfirst into the surging crowd at the edge of the dance floor.

The dazzling neon lights flickered on her body, and occasionally, just like in the restaurant, Kim Seolhyun would suddenly turn around and look towards the bar.

When her blurry vision caught a glimpse of Lin Qianqiao sitting in the same spot, a relieved smile instantly bloomed on her face, and she immediately became even more engrossed in the music and rhythm.

Sweat began to bead on her smooth forehead and the tip of her nose, and her cheeks were flushed with the effects of exercise. But her eyes shone with an astonishing brightness. They no longer reflected the boredom and tension of the restaurant, but rather a pure, simple, and fervent excitement and liberation, like a "dog out for a run."

Amidst the deafening music and dazzling lights, she was finally able to unleash her long-suppressed self, dancing lightly and vividly, venting all her pent-up frustration through her body language.

Lin Qianqiao sat alone at the bar, took a sip of her cocktail, and quietly watched the scene unfold, her heart unmoved.

Two elegantly dressed girls approached him, one of whom, with long, wavy blonde hair, spoke first: "Hello~ Are you alone?"

"It's one for now, but we don't know later," Lin Qianqiao replied with a light laugh, seemingly unaware that her words would cause a misunderstanding.

The blonde with big waves clearly understood quickly. She raised her hand to cover her mouth and hide her laughter. The slight trembling caused the white waves to ripple, making it impossible to look away.

Then, she stared intently at Lin Qianqiao's face, a hint of amazement flashing in her eyes, before saying in a sweet, cloying tone, "There are two of us for now, but I wonder if we can have one more person later?"

"The three of us can be anywhere."

The blonde, wavy-haired friend added, noticing Lin Qianqiao looking over, she smiled and waved gently, saying, "Hi~"

"Hello..." Lin Qianqiao tilted her head and waved in return.

In fact, Lin Qianqiao didn't look at her, but tilted her head to look at Jin Xuexuan, who was angrily rushing back behind the blonde woman's friend.

At this moment, she looked like a great general, as if she were dragging a forty-meter-long sword behind her, her eyes filled with a strong killing intent. I don't know where the murderous aura came from, but it was inexplicably funny.

Kim Seolhyun was swaying to the music at the edge of the dance floor, but her gaze seemed to be guided by a GPS, occasionally and accurately landing on Lim Gan-chiao by the bar.

The neon lights shimmered, making his superior face stand out clearly in the crowd. The air around him seemed to possess its own density, a cool clarity that quietly repelled the surrounding turbidity and noise.

Just then, Kim Seol-hyun paused in her dance, her brows furrowing slightly as she was instantly annoyed by the scene before her.

A strange girl wearing a sequined halter dress and exquisite makeup approached Lin Qianqiao, who was sitting alone at the bar, holding a wine glass.

The blonde girl leaned down, her red lips parted, and her face showed undisguised interest as she spoke to Lin Qianqiao. Although the content couldn't be heard, her posture and eyes made her intentions crystal clear—a typical flirtation.

Lin Qianqiao seemed a little surprised, leaned back slightly to maintain a basic polite distance, and was about to respond.

As Kim Seolhyun stood at the edge of the dance floor, an alarm bell rang in her mind, and the carefree feeling of "letting loose" vanished instantly.

Like a dog whose tail has been stepped on, she didn't care about the rhythm of the dance steps. She pushed aside the few people blocking her way and took small, quick steps, almost "whooshing" back to the bar.

Just as Lin Qianqiao's words, which were probably a "polite refusal," were about to be spoken, Jin Xuexuan forcefully stepped between the two of them, not wanting to hear anything more.

She ignored the girl who had approached her and instead faced Lin Qianqiao directly, her body almost touching his. With an undeniable force, she stretched out her hands and wrapped them around one of Lin Qianqiao's arms in a very natural, even somewhat domineering way, deliberately tightening her grip on his arm to keep it firmly by her side.

"Kirigakure~"

Kim Seolhyun deliberately raised her voice a few decibels, with a coquettish intimacy, drowning out the background music and the unfinished words of the girl next to her, "The music here is too loud! I'm tired of dancing, I want to drink something..."