Why would Peninsula want to date a lazy dog ​​like me?

Inside the IZ*ONE exclusive nanny van.

The air pressure inside the carriage was so low it felt like you could wring water out of it. Outside, the continuous plum rains continued to fall, and a thick layer of condensation covered the windows, completely isolating the interior from the colorful neon lights outside.

"Yuan Ying..."

Sitting in the back row, team leader Kwon Eunbi rubbed her throbbing temples, her voice filled with deep exhaustion and helplessness. "We've been filming for fourteen hours straight today, and none of us have even had a hot meal. Why are you insisting that the driver take a detour to that run-down convenience store in Mapo-gu?"

"Yeah!" Sitting next to her, Choi Ye-na slumped in her chair like a duck whose strength had been drained, letting out a desperate wail. "I'm really going to die! My legs feel like they're made of lead! What kind of magic does that convenience store have? Does their banana milk grant immortality? Why have you dragged us there every time you have a spare moment these past few days? Even if you don't have time, you have to find a way to go!"

A chorus of agreement and complaints immediately filled the carriage.

"That's right, it's so far away, and it takes up more than an hour of rest time to go back and forth."

"Besides, that shop looked filthy, and the staff's attitude was awful. Last time I bought oden, he wouldn't even give me an extra spoonful of broth!"

"Yuan Ying, are you possessed by some evil spirit?"

Despite her sisters' complaints, Zhang Yuanying, sitting in the passenger seat, remained completely calm.

She slowly turned her head, took off the black mask from her face, revealing a face that was still exquisitely flawless and seemed to glow, even when she was exhausted.

Her eyes were slightly red, and her clear, doe-like eyes instantly filled with tears, making her look pitiful, as if she had suffered a great injustice.

"Unnies..." Jang Won-young's voice was as soft and sweet as a melting marshmallow, with a slightly nasal tone that was endearing to all. "I'm sorry, I know everyone is tired. But... but this is really the only way I can relieve stress."

She lowered her head, her fingers nervously twisting the hem of her clothes, her voice growing softer and softer:

"I've been getting a lot of bad comments online lately, saying I've gained weight, saying I'm not doing my dancing properly... I can't sleep at night. Only when I go to that convenience store and see that clerk who doesn't care about anything and is indifferent to everyone do I feel that there are still places in this world where I don't have to care about other people's opinions. There, I can breathe for a while..."

As she said this, a crystal tear slid down her cheek at just the right moment and landed on the back of her fair hand.

The complaints in the carriage stopped abruptly.

The members who had been complaining looked at each other, their faces showing remorse.

The psychological pressure on idols in the cutthroat world of South Korea's entertainment industry is something every idol knows all too well. As the center, Jang Won-young endures ten or even a hundred times more criticism and scrutiny. If buying a bottle of water from a run-down convenience store can relieve her stress, how could her older sisters bear to deprive her of this precious "safe haven"?

"Oh dear, our Wonyoung has been wronged." Kwon Eunbi sighed, leaning forward to pat Jang Wonyoung's head with heartache. "Alright, alright, we'll stop now. It's just going to Mapo District, right? Let's go! Driver, please drive faster."

"Yes, yes, let's go buy banana milk! Unnie's treating today, buy as much as you want!" Choi Ye-na quickly sat up straight and loudly echoed.

Zhang Yuanying looked up, her tears turning into a smile, and sweetly exclaimed, "Thank you, unnies! I love you all the most!"

The moment she turned her head, the vulnerability and gratitude on Zhang Yuanying's face vanished without a trace.

She looked at her reflection in the car window, a cold, mocking smile curving her lips.

All those negative comments and claims about stress relief were lies she made up on the spot. She didn't care what those online ants thought of her; she had an extremely strong mental barrier, and those things couldn't even scratch her surface.

The reason she tirelessly dragged these members to that convenience store every day was for one purpose only: to create a perfect "daily desensitization".

She wanted to make the man named Wei Wu used to her presence, used to these girls, all bundled up tightly, showing up on time every day. When something unusual happens a hundred times, it becomes the norm.

When Wei Wu completely lowered his guard against them and treated them as ordinary "ATM customers," that was the time for her to close the net.

As for the members' fatigue and complaints?

That wasn't within her consideration. They were merely props she used to perfect her disguise.

……

At the same time, in the top-floor conference room of Starship Entertainment headquarters.

"Bang!"

Lee Ho-seok, the production director of Starship Entertainment, slammed a document on the conference table, his face turning ashen.

"Absurd! Utterly absurd!"

Lee Ho-seok pointed at the "Outsourcing Cooperation Proposal for 'LazyDog' Producer" on the table, trembling with anger.

"Twenty million won! Just to buy the arrangement and mixing of a song?! And without a full contract, no appearances, no promotion, not even credit! Are we Starship doing charity work? Are we printing money?!"

The senior executives in the conference room nodded in agreement, but their expressions were not very pleasant.

"Yes, these conditions are way too good to be true. To put it bluntly, this Chinese man named Wei Wu is still a free agent. He's just doing odd jobs for us, but he's taking top-tier pay in the industry. If word gets out, where will Starship put its face?"

"Besides, are we really going to offer him such a high price just because of 'Believer' on SoundCloud? What if he's run out of ideas? What if that song was just a lucky break?"

"I strongly oppose this contract!"

Just as the crowd in the meeting room was getting heated, the meeting room door was pushed open.

Jang Won-young's manager, Director Kim, walked in, wiping away cold sweat. Behind him followed a figure in a haute couture suit, exuding an aura so powerful that it was impossible to ignore.

This was Zhang Yuanying, who had engaged in a heated debate with a group of scholars in this very conference room just a few days earlier.

However, Zhang Yuanying appeared as the "proposer" that day, but today she is here to "issue an ultimatum".

Zhang Yuanying walked to the conference table, pulled out a chair, and sat down, her long legs elegantly crossed. She wasn't wearing a mask, and her strikingly beautiful face, with its aggressive features, lacked any idol sweetness, displaying only the coldness and arrogance of someone in a position of power.

"Director Li, fellow board members," Zhang Yuanying's voice wasn't loud, but it carried clearly to everyone's ears, "I heard you have some reservations about this contract?"

Looking at the fifteen-year-old girl before him, who was already the company's biggest cash cow, Lee Ho-seok suppressed his anger and tried to keep his tone calm:

"Wonyoung, you're still young and don't understand the business logic behind this. We can't break company rules for a producer who hasn't been fully validated by the market. Outsourcing a single song for 20 million won is unprecedented in the Korean entertainment industry..."

"Rules are made by people," Zhang Yuanying interrupted Li Haoxi without hesitation. "Director Li, you must know how much of a sensation 'Believer' caused in the underground scene without any promotion, right? How many companies are currently carrying cash and searching all over Seoul for this 'LazyDog'? Don't you understand?"

"But he doesn't even want the right to be credited! How can we use his fame to create hype?" one executive couldn't help but retort.

Zhang Yuanying sneered, her eyes looking at a bunch of idiots.

"Do you even need his name credit? If the arrangement and mixing quality of this song reaches the level of 'Believer,' it'll be enough to sweep the charts. Do you want his name, or the real profits he can bring?"

Zhang Yuanying stood up, placed her hands on the conference table, leaned forward, and stared intently at Li Haoxi with her extremely imposing eyes.

"Let me be frank. This contract is a must-sign."

"If Starship thinks 20 million is too expensive, that's fine. We'll deduct that from my personal share. If Starship thinks it's a waste of resources to have him work in the company's top recording studio, that's fine too. I can rent him the best studio outside."

Zhang Yuanying's tone suddenly became extremely dangerous, like a venomous snake flicking its tongue:

"But if you don't agree, then my next contract will definitely not be here."

Dead silence.

The conference room fell into a deathly silence.

All the executives gasped in shock.

A threat! This is a blatant threat!

A 15-year-old idol dares to threaten the entire company's management with his contract renewal issue!

Tragically, they couldn't refute it. Zhang Yuanying's current commercial value was terrifying; if she really switched jobs, it would be a devastating blow to Starship.

Lee Ho-seok's face turned pale and then red, and finally, he slumped into a chair like a defeated rooster.

"...Okay. Do as you say. Prepare the contract immediately."

Zhang Yuanying straightened up, and her perfect, sweet, and harmless smile returned to her face.

"Thank you, Director Li. It's been a pleasure working with you."

She turned and walked out of the conference room, her high heels clicking crisply on the marble floor of the corridor.

Manager Kim followed behind, his back completely soaked in cold sweat. He felt like he wasn't following a girl group member, but a monster in human skin.

As Zhang Yuanying stepped into the elevator and watched the doors slowly close, the smile on her face gradually faded, turning into an unfathomable coldness.

The Starship executives believed that she was resorting to any means necessary to sign Wei Wu in order to improve the quality of the team's music.

Big mistakes.

She doesn't care about music at all, or even whether IZ*ONE's new album can sweep the charts.

She didn't even have the slightest "feeling" or "love" for Wei Wu.

The reason she went to such lengths to orchestrate this scheme, even resorting to using her contract renewal to pressure the higher-ups, is for one extremely simple, yet extremely twisted reason:

She was trying to steal her sister's toys.

From childhood to adulthood, Zhang Yuanying had always tried to take everything Zhang Zhenying possessed. Whether it was her father's attention or those expensive pieces of jewelry, if Zhang Zhenying set her sights on something, Zhang Yuanying would get it and then destroy it in front of Zhang Zhenying.

This is a deep-seated, morbid competitive drive.

That night, when she saw Zhang Zhenying looking at Wei Wu with an almost obsessive gaze, and heard Zhang Zhenying say, "I can't lose him," Zhang Yuanying had already made up her mind to snatch this man away.

They would snatch it and then destroy it in front of Jang Jin-young.

Zhang Yuanying sneered inwardly.

"Unnie, the more you want him, the more I want him to be mine. I'll make you watch as the man you schemed to lock up with 5 billion in breach of contract fees obediently crawls into the cage I've prepared for him like a dog."

As for Cao Cao's talent?

That just adds to the toy's "rarity." The more valuable the toy, the stronger the thrill of acquiring it.

That's it.

……

8:10 PM.

Mapo-gu, GS25 convenience store.

Wei Wu had just finished a two-hour "Zhang Zhenying Speech Correction Class" and dragged his tired steps back to the convenience store's checkout counter.

Zhang Zhenying remained very obedient today, as obedient as a wooden doll, doing nothing but reciting her lessons. This pleased Wei Wu greatly.

"This money was fucking easy to earn." Wei Wu stuffed 100,000 won into his pocket and stretched happily.

Just then, with a "ding-dong," the convenience store door was pushed open.

Wei Wu raised his eyelids and glanced at it, then rolled his eyes inwardly.

"Damn, it's those masked weirdos again."

Four girls, bundled up tightly, walked in and headed confidently towards the refrigerated display case and snack section.

It was Jang Won-young and Kwon Eun-bi, Choi Ye-na, and Ahn Yoo-jin, whom she had forcibly brought along.

Wei Wu ignored them and simply lay down on the counter, closed his eyes, and began to rest.

As long as they don't cause trouble, they can buy whatever they want.

Behind the shelf, Choi Ye-na tossed potato chips into a basket while muttering in a low voice, "It's insane. I actually drove for half an hour just to buy a bag of potato chips. The air in this store reeks of poverty."

"Shh, keep your voice down." Quan Enfei glared at her, then looked at Zhang Yuanying standing in front of the refrigerator with some concern.

Zhang Yuanying held a bottle of banana milk in her hand, but her gaze was coldly fixed on Wei Wu, who was leaning on the checkout counter, across the shelf.

She looked at Wei Wu's messy hair, his cheap uniform that was faded and even had a yellowish collar, and his dead fish eyes that seemed indifferent to the whole world.

A strong sense of contempt welled up in Zhang Yuanying's heart.

"What a slovenly, boring, and utterly unattractive man," Zhang Yuanying thought coldly to herself. "He reeks of the stench of the lower class. If it weren't for that song 'Believer,' if it weren't for my sister's idiotic infatuation with you, you wouldn't even be worthy of carrying my shoes."

She didn't love him at all.

She even felt nauseous just being near him.

However, the thought of Zhang Zhenying's desperate and frantic state filled Zhang Yuanying with an indescribable, morbid pleasure.

"Bear with it, Zhang Yuanying. Just think of it as playing a fun game."

Zhang Yuanying took a deep breath, completely concealing the disdain and coldness in her eyes.

Holding the banana milk, she walked lightly to the cashier.

"Check, please." She lowered her voice, her tone as calm as still water.

Wei Wu didn't even open his eyes; he simply reached out using muscle memory, touched the bottle of milk, and scanned the barcode.

"One thousand five hundred." Wei Wu's voice carried a strong sense of perfunctoriness.

Zhang Yuanying handed over two thousand Korean won.

Wei Wu found five hundred coins and casually tossed them onto the table, making a crisp sound.

Throughout the entire process, the two did not exchange any eye contact or make any unnecessary movements. They were like two parallel lines that briefly intersected before immediately heading in different directions.

Wei Wu sneered inwardly: "These women are so damn slow when they buy things. Get lost, don't keep me from leaving get off work."

Zhang Yuanying picked up the coin, turned, and walked towards the door, inwardly sneering, "Keep up this arrogant attitude, Wei Wu. Your pathetic pride and lust for money will soon send you to my hell."

The four people walked out of the convenience store.

After getting on the bus, Zhang Yuanying took out her phone and sent a message to Zhang Zhenying.

"Unnie, it's all taken care of. Starship's higher-ups have agreed to the outsourcing contract. The terms are extremely generous: 20 million per song, no full contract, and absolute anonymity. That greedy guy absolutely can't refuse. He'll be stepping into Starship's recording studio soon."

The message was sent successfully.

Less than ten seconds later, Zhang Zhenying called.

Zhang Yuanying glanced at the flashing "Sister" on the screen, a cruel smile curling at the corner of her lips, and pressed the answer button.

"Yuan Ying! Is it true?!" On the other end of the phone, Zhang Zhenying's voice was shrill and piercing with extreme excitement, even carrying a hint of sickly panting. "That's great! That's great! As long as he gets into the starship, as long as he gets used to the equipment there, I'll have a way to slowly close the net! Yuan Ying, you're such a good sister! I love you to death!"

Zhang Yuanying moved her phone further away, listening to her sister's almost manic laughter, her eyes filled with endless mockery.

"Yeah, unnie. He'll fall for it soon."

Zhang Yuanying answered in her sweetest and most obedient voice.

"Just stay home and wait patiently for the 'good news'."

After hanging up the phone, Zhang Yuanying tossed it aside, leaned back in her chair, and closed her eyes.

Just imagine the look of utter despair, even madness, on Zhang Zhenying's face if she knew that the prey she had painstakingly schemed against, even using her sister's resources, would ultimately become nothing more than a dog at her sister's feet...

Zhang Yuanying felt as if an electric current was coursing through her body, bringing a chilling and extremely pleasurable sensation.

"Unnie, I'll accept your toy without hesitation."

The rain outside the window was pouring down harder.