Peninsula: A Max-Level Forward's Leisurely Life

Now that her husband has completely resolved the mess at the company, Choi Sulli can finally relax.

The mountain that had been weighing on my heart is gone.

She not only eats well and sleeps soundly, but even the heavy dark circles under her eyes have completely disappeared.

On a sunny morning, in a large, high-end shopping mall in Gangnam District, Seoul.

Choi Sulli wore a low-key, pure black bucket hat, with only a matching face mask on her face.

She wore a loose cream-colored knit sweater and light blue washed denim jeans, exuding a refreshing college student vibe, completely lacking the deliberately packaged strong aggressiveness she usually displays on stage.

Pushing a giant silver shopping cart, she weaved back and forth between rows of shelves of household goods.

This little girl dragged Li Chixun out for a big shopping trip today.

Li Chixun, with his hands in his coat pockets, followed behind her at a leisurely pace.

Looking at the ever-growing pile of small items in his shopping cart, a hint of helplessness crossed his sharply defined features.

Toothbrushes, towels, travel-sized toiletries sets, and even a few small, empty, transparent plastic bottles for dispensing lotion—these are all extremely miscellaneous household items.

Li Chixun watched as she threw two more packs of disposable face towels into the car.

He stopped beside the shelves, glanced at the items in the car, and casually asked:

"Are you sure you want to buy so much junk to take to Europe?"

"There are plenty of large supermarkets in Munich, wouldn't it be better to just buy brand new ones when we get there?"

Choi Sulli was comparing two soft-bristled toothbrushes of different colors when she heard this and immediately turned around.

"That won't do!"

Choi Sulli tossed her toothbrush into the car, rejecting the suggestion without hesitation: "Prices are so high in Germany. It's most cost-effective to buy these daily necessities in Seoul and bring them over."

She patted the handle of the shopping cart and added matter-of-factly, "Now I'm going to be thrifty and manage my household well."

Upon hearing the words "frugal and thrifty," Li Chixun's expression faltered slightly.

Frugal and hardworking?

This girl hasn't even met her old man who lives on Wall Street yet, and she's already starting to meticulously plan for their married life?!

This scheme is so well-thought-out that even people on the other side of the Pacific Ocean probably know it all too well.

However, this slightly capricious nature, which has a bit of a meddlesome quality, not only doesn't annoy people, but actually makes them feel comfortable.

After all, a financial tycoon with a net worth of tens of billions has no shortage of money.

But some people are willing to painstakingly collect those coins for him; this vibrant sense of life is something money can't buy.

He himself liked this peach. No matter how willful and unreasonable she was, he had enough confidence to tolerate her.

If it were anyone else in the industry who dared to criticize his lifestyle, he would have kicked them out long ago.

Li Chixun chuckled, stepped forward, and naturally took the stroller handle from her hand.

"Fine, you decide."

He turned to look at her, his tone extremely casual: "Take whatever you like, I'll pay for it."

The two of them continued to stroll around the huge shopping mall, pushing the cart along.

For the remainder of the district, Choi Sulli displayed astonishing fighting prowess.

Even for the most ordinary pure cotton towel, she would look at the ingredient list over and over again to make sure it felt soft enough before she would approve it.

Lee Chi-hoon patiently waited on her like that.

On this morning, without paparazzi following them or any scheduled appearances, the atmosphere between the two resembled that of a newlywed couple out shopping on the weekend.

Choi Sulli was standing in front of a shelf full of plush toys.

She took a liking to a pink rabbit doll with long ears and was holding it up to Li Chixun's face.

This man usually looks like this with his eyes half-closed when he looks down on people.

"Look at the way it looks at people with disdain, it's exactly like you!"

Lee Ji-hoon's eyelid twitched, and he sneered, "Choi Jin-ri, if you don't want your eyes anymore, you can donate them to someone in need."

He was just about to reach out and snatch that stupid rabbit away to teach her a lesson.

next moment.

A clear female voice suddenly rang out from the left corner, sounding particularly clear in this sparsely populated area.

"Sherry? Is that you?"

When she heard someone call out her real name, Choi Sulli's hand holding the rabbit trembled slightly.

Even though the company issues have been resolved recently, the overwhelming online bullying she experienced a while ago still left her with considerable psychological trauma.

Her first thought was that she had been recognized by those extreme haters.

Oh no, I'm going to be surrounded and pointed at in the street again!

Not daring to turn around to confirm, she instinctively grabbed Li Chixun's coat sleeve.

"Quick, quick, we've been spotted by the haters!" She grabbed the man and tried to run away.

Li Chixun grabbed her wrist with his other hand, but didn't rush to pull her away.

Even if a few clueless trolls showed up at this high-end shopping mall with its tight security, they wouldn't be able to cause any trouble.

The unfamiliar woman behind them spoke again, her tone revealing obvious helplessness and familiarity: "Why are you running? Can't you even recognize your unnie's voice?"

The familiar tone of voice brought Choi Sulli's escape attempt to an abrupt halt.

Somewhat suspicious, he stopped and turned around, looking in the direction of the sound.

A tall woman stood not far away, wearing a well-tailored khaki trench coat, her long hair casually draped over her shoulders.

Just then, the other person took off their white mask, revealing a very distinctive small face.

With delicate features and clear, bright eyes, she exudes an undeniable beauty and purity.

The moment she saw the other person's face, Choi Sulli's almond-shaped eyes widened in surprise.

"Yoona unnie?!"

Isn't this Yoona, the visual center of Girls' Generation?

Yoona strode over, her beautiful face full of concern.

"You silly girl, you're still so guarded even when you're out in public. How have you been lately? I've seen all those messy comments online, I was so worried about you."

Sulli immediately dropped the rabbit doll in her hand and, like a child who had been bullied and found her parents, rushed into Yoona's arms.

"Unnie!"

"I had a really tough time recently. I stayed in my dorm all day, too scared to even leave the room, and those people verbally abused me mercilessly."

She buried her face in the collar of her trench coat, her voice sounding miserable: "Those executives at the company don't treat me like a human being at all. They force me to do promotional appearances every day. I'm almost depressed."

But despite her complaints, after finishing her rant, she immediately straightened up, the gloom on her face vanished, and a bright smile appeared on her face.

"But don't worry, unnie, I've fully recovered and I'm perfectly fine now!"

She twirled around on the spot, cheerfully displaying her good spirits. Seeing her lively and energetic self, Lim Yoona finally felt relieved.

Im Yoona straightened the hem of her clothes, which had been ruffled from the hug, and said:

"I'm so glad you're okay. You didn't reply to my messages much before, and I was worried you were doing something drastic."

Choi Sulli chuckled awkwardly twice, then quickly changed the subject, tilting her head and asking curiously:

"By the way, unnie, what are you doing here all of a sudden?"

"I was at a brand event nearby, it just ended, so I stopped by to buy some drinks."

Yoona shook the shopping bag she was carrying and explained her schedule.

As soon as she finished speaking, Yoona's eyes became somewhat puzzled.

She looked the peach up and down, and asked, full of confusion:

"But what are you doing here?"

"From what I remember, you don't seem to have many friends in this area."

This left Choi Sulli speechless. She awkwardly twisted her hands together, her mind racing with a frantic internal struggle.

Yes, how is she supposed to explain her presence here to this shrewd senior?

Should I just openly and confidently announce to the world that I'm here with my new boyfriend on a big shopping spree, planning to go to Germany with him for a romantic getaway?

After saying that, doesn't she have any shame as a girl group idol?!

Just when my brain was completely blank and I didn't know what kind of lie to make up.

Yoona's gaze passed over her shoulder and landed on Lee Ji-hoon, who had been standing silently to the side.

She hadn't even noticed the man pushing the shopping cart because her attention was completely focused on Choi Sulli.

As soon as she looked up, Yoona's brows furrowed.

She doesn't look like an innocent, ordinary person at all. In the entertainment industry, a big melting pot, Lin Yoona has seen far too many second-generation chaebols and fake rich con artists who prey on young and beautiful idols.

Once you get entangled with these people, being scammed out of money and your feelings is the least of your worries.

If she gets caught up in some scandal or sex scandal that she can't clear up, this girl's idol career will be completely over.

Im Yoona pulled Choi Sulli half a step behind her, staring intently at Lee Ji-hoon, and spoke with undisguised hostility:

"And who is this gentleman...?"

Faced with this wary scrutiny, Li Jixun put his hands in his pockets and smiled slightly.

He wasn't angry at all; in fact, he found the scene quite amusing. He'd seen plenty of fake friendships in the Korean entertainment industry, and countless others had stabbed each other in the back to compete for resources.

It's rare to see a senior who, in the eye of the storm, is willing to genuinely protect their own.

When Choi Sulli came to her senses, she found that Yoona unnie's eyes were fixed on Lee Ji-hoon with a look of suspicion.

She immediately stomped her feet in frustration, her face turning bright red. She quickly broke free from Yoona's hand, ran back to Lee Ji-hoon's side, and hugged his strong arm tightly.

"Unnie, don't misunderstand, this is my boyfriend!"

"His name is Lee Ji-hoon, he's a professional soccer player, not a bad person."

"When I was feeling really down recently, he was the one who stayed by my side the whole time. He's so incredibly good to me!"

This kind of love-struck, cheesy statement didn't lower Yoona's guard; instead, it made her frown even more.

That's it, this silly girl has clearly fallen completely in love. She's probably been sold out and is still counting the money for the seller.

Just as Yoona was about to launch into a long-winded lecture, Sulli's eyes lit up, and she quickly played a sure-fire trump card.

"Oh right, unnie!"

Afraid that Yoona wouldn't believe her, she quickly added, "Jieun knows him too, and he's already passed Jieun's thorough evaluation!"

Hearing the name Lee Ji-eun.

Yoona's beautiful eyebrows gradually relaxed from their furrowed state.

Anyone in the industry with even a little bit of insight knows very well how cunning and shrewd Lee Ji-eun is.

The female solo artist who can fight alone in a fiercely competitive industry and even fight her way to the top is definitely not as innocent and cute as she looks.

Lee Ji-eun possesses an exceptionally high level of focus, and her relentless ambition to achieve her goals is truly awe-inspiring.

If anyone really treats Lee Ji-eun like an easy little rabbit to bully, they will be devoured in the entertainment industry until not even bones are left.

Only a simple-minded best friend like Choi Sulli would unconditionally believe the innocent facade presented by Lee Ji-eun.

If this man in front of him were truly a cunning liar, he would never have been able to pass Lee Ji-eun's screening unscathed.

Since even a shrewd person like Lee Ji-eun couldn't find any fatal problems.

Then I could finally put my heart, which had been hanging in my throat, back down completely.

Yoona's gaze as she looked at Lee Ji-hoon finally lost its sharp defensiveness.

She flashed her signature sweet smile again and couldn't resist gently tapping Choi Sulli's nose.

This little girl is truly blessed despite her foolishness.

Im Yoona teased, sounding annoyed:

"What are you thinking about all day long?"

"Do you think I'm that serious, unnie? Look how scared you are, acting like you're possessing your food, haha."

Now that the biggest misunderstanding has been cleared up, the atmosphere between the three of them immediately became incredibly relaxed.

Standing in the mall aisle, we chatted about some trivial news and gossip from the industry recently.

Lim Yoona glanced at the thin-strapped women's watch on her wrist.

She raised her delicate chin and extended a friendly invitation:

"We've finally bumped into each other, how about I treat you two to coffee?"

Lee Chi-hoon has never been particularly interested in these sudden social invitations.

But instead of directly refusing, he turned his head and completely handed over the decision to the peach beside him.

Sulli was just looking forward to showing off in front of her sisters, so she wasn't going to refuse.

She immediately started nodding her little head like she was pounding garlic, she was incredibly enthusiastic.

"Okay, okay, I want an iced Americano!"

She naturally split her forces into two groups.

With her left hands tightly wrapped around Lee Ji-hoon's strong arms, she naturally took her right arm around Im Yoon-ah's slender arm.

With women on both sides, he's truly a winner in life.

Following the directions given by Yoona, the three of them walked side by side toward the boutique coffee shop on the upper floor of the mall.

-

"So, Lee Chi-hoon, you mean you not only helped her get that contract, but you also lured her to Germany?"

Holding the latte that had just been served, Lim Yoona stared wide-eyed at the man lounging lazily in the booth across from her, her doe eyes wide with disbelief.

Sulli, that silly girl, is so lucky it makes people jealous.

Just a few days ago, I was being verbally abused by those keyboard warriors online, and I hid in my dorm room, too scared to even leave.

In the blink of an eye, not only was the mess at the company cleaned up, but her boyfriend was also taken care of perfectly.

—And at this level.

Im Yoona glanced at Lee Ji-hoon again without making a sound.

That understated coat with no logo, that watch on her wrist that even she barely recognized, and that nonchalant expression that hadn't changed much from head to toe.

—What a dog of a man.

He's handsome, rich, and incredibly good at soccer.

If this were released, who knows how many innocent young girls it would harm.

-

"Unnie~"

Sulli hugged her iced Americano, practically pressed herself against Yoona, and said in a soft, sweet voice:

"You have no idea how good oppa is to me. When I was feeling down the other day, he flew all the way from Germany to be with me and even skipped his training..."

"Alright, alright."

Im Yoona interrupted her impatiently and tapped the fluffy head with her finger:

"I know you're happy, so can you please stop showing off your love everywhere? I'm still single."

"whee."

Choi Sulli covered her head and giggled foolishly, then turned to look at Lee Ji-hoon, her eyes sparkling:

"Oppa, Yoona unnie is the visual of Girls' Generation, did you ever secretly like her before?"

-

"That silly girl, she always brings up the very thing she doesn't want to talk about."

Lee Chi-hoon was taking a sip of his black coffee when he heard this, and his eyebrows twitched slightly.

Girls' Generation, the visual center...

He didn't even lift his eyelids, his tone indifferent:

"I don't know him."

"I only play football, I don't watch girl groups."

-

"puff--"

Sulli almost spat out the Americano she was drinking.

Her eyes widened, and she gave me a "Are you kidding me?" look.

"Oppa! Yoona unnie! Girls' Generation! How can you say you don't know her?!"

"If I don't know you, I just don't know you."

Lee Chi-hoon put down his cup, turned his head to look at her, and said with a hint of helplessness in his voice:

"You can't expect me to search for a bunch of information online and memorize it just to please your sisters."

"You scoundrel, you still talk so infuriatingly."

Choi Sulli pursed her lips, but then felt that what he said seemed...not wrong.

-

Lin Yoona sat opposite them, watching the two bicker back and forth, and the corners of her mouth curved higher and higher.

"It's quite interesting."

She had initially thought Lee Ji-hoon was the aloof and unapproachable second-generation chaebol, but she was surprised to find him to be so... down-to-earth when he was with Sherry in private.

"Alright, Sherry."

Lim Yoona put down her coffee cup, picked up her handbag, and stood up:

"I have other commitments later, so I have to go now."

"Huh? So fast..."

Choi Sulli stood up abruptly, her face filled with reluctance.

"Let's have dinner sometime when we're free, it'll be on me."

Im Yoona smiled and patted her on the shoulder, then looked at Lee Ji-hoon:

"And you, if you dare to bully our Sherry, I won't let you off the hook."

Lee Chi-hoon leaned back in the booth, not even standing up, only slightly raising his chin:

"Don't worry, she's the one bullying me."

-

"Unnie~ Oppa~ Take care~"

Choi Sulli stood at the entrance of the coffee shop, waving at Lim Yoona's departing figure.

Only after that khaki figure had completely disappeared around the corner did she turn around and grab Li Chixun's arm:

"Oppa, Yoona unnie is a really nice person, right?"

"Um."

Li Chixun looked down at her and reached out to pinch her little face, which was flushed with excitement:

"It's just that her eyes are a bit scary, like a mother leopard protecting her cubs."

"Haha, that's because unnie cares about me."

Choi Sulli laughed even harder, her entire weight hanging on his arm:

"Let's go, let's continue shopping, there's still so much we haven't bought yet."

-

Women are truly born shopaholics.

Lee Chi-hoon looked at the shopping cart that was already overflowing with goods, and then at the peach beside him that was still full of interest.

'Fine, let's go crazy with her.'

Who told me to spoil her?

-

Inside the mall, the air conditioning was still running at full blast, and the faint fragrance in the air hadn't dissipated yet.

Choi Sulli ran to the front shelf area and was studying a new hand cream.

Lee Chi-hoon pushed the cart and followed slowly behind.

Sunlight streamed through the glass skylight overhead, falling on that cream-colored figure, making it seem to glow.

"fine."

He took out his phone and glanced at the unread emails on Wall Street.

"Once we're done with all this fuss, I'll take her to stay at the foot of the Alps for a few days."

"No announcements, no haters, just the two of them."

"..."

"Yeah, and I'll also buy a bigger suitcase, so this girl won't always complain about not having enough room for her things."

Lee Chi-hoon put his phone back in his pocket and quickened his pace.

"Oppa, do you think this smells good?"

"You smell good no matter what you put on."

"Oh, you're just giving me the runaround!"

"...If I say it smells bad, will you choose another one?"

--"……Won't."

"That settles it then."