217: Chapter 204 Escaping may be shameful, but it's useful.

The dinner was a simple home-cooked meal, but thanks to the ingredients Jiang Zhiyu had left over from the morning and Mother Kim's skillful hands, it was still sumptuous and delicious.

During the meal, Tima excitedly recounted what she had seen during today's filming, gesturing animatedly and making everyone laugh.

"Jiang Zhiyu is going back tomorrow?" Mother Kim asked.

"Yes," Jiang Zhiyu nodded. "There's still work at the company, and I need to go back to confirm the preparations for IZ*ONE's next filming session."

His tone carried a hint of apology, as if leaving early was a very rude thing to do.

"So soon..." Mother Kim said with some regret. "It would be nice if you could stay a few more days."

"I will definitely come to bother you again next time," Jiang Zhiyu said sincerely.

Tima interjected at this moment, "I'm not going back! I want to continue staying with Taeyeon Unnie to learn about variety show filming!"

As she said this, she ran to Kim Taeyeon's side and hugged her arm. "Unnie, you'll take me in, right?"

Looking at her sparkling eyes, Kim Taeyeon smiled helplessly. "Of course."

Jiang Zhiyu looked at the two of them, a look of gratification appearing in his eyes. "Tima is our TG's future star. She needs to dabble in everything: singer, actor, behind-the-scenes, screenwriter, cameraman, VJ..."

When he said this, his tone was full of pride, as if he were showing off his most prized creation.

Tima, however, immediately pouted. "Oppa, how can you say that! Actually, ever since I met Oppa, I've been doing these things all along!"

She turned to the Kim family and began to "accuse" him. "At that time, Oppa told me that if I wanted to debut, I had to do everything. I actually believed him! And what happened? I had to learn songwriting, learn arranging, write scripts, follow shoots, and even participate in post-production editing..."

She counted on her fingers. "Now that I think about it, this is completely exploiting labor! Exploiting child labor!!! He only gives me one thousand yuan a month! He's practically a slave owner! A feudal landlord!"

She spoke with great emotion, and paired with her aggrieved little face, she looked exactly like a poor child laborer exploited by a heartless boss.

The Kim family was amused by her.

Jiang Zhiyu, however, retorted with a straight face. "Then who was it that followed me around like a tag-along? A certain trainee who participated in almost every agency audition, wasn't selected, and almost ended up homeless?"

This remark precisely hit Tima's "dark history."

Tima's face instantly flushed red. "Oppa!!!"

She jumped up in embarrassment and anger, pouncing on Jiang Zhiyu like a cat with its fur standing on end. "You're not allowed to say that!!!"

Jiang Zhiyu was prepared and nimbly dodged to the side. But Tima was relentless and pounced again, this time jumping directly onto his back and wrapping her arms around his neck—of course, without using any force.

"I'll let you talk! I'll let you talk!" she shouted while "choking" him.

Jiang Zhiyu, having no other choice, reached out and grabbed at her waist.

"Ah!!!!"

Tima was very ticklish, so she immediately let go and tried to run away. But Jiang Zhiyu grabbed her wrist and continued to tickle her.

"Hahahaha—Oppa, I was wrong! I was wrong!! Let me go!!!"

Tima laughed until tears came out, jumping around in the Kim family's yard, trying to break free from Jiang Zhiyu's "clutches." Although Jiang Zhiyu was usually gentle and refined, when he played, he was completely like a big kid, chasing her to tickle her.

The two chased and played in the yard, their laughter and cries for mercy rising and falling.

The Kim family stood under the eaves, watching this scene, and couldn't help but laugh.

Kim Taeyeon looked at Jiang Zhiyu, who was laughing with no regard for his image and chasing after Tima, and a soft spot in her heart was gently touched.

Usually at the company, he was a professional and rigorous president; at the filming site, he was the PD in control of everything; at the Kim family's home, he was a polite and proper guest.

But only in front of Tima did he reveal such a childish side.

It seemed that only this "little sister" could make him let down all his defenses and disguises and return to being his most authentic self.

This realization caused a complex surge of emotions in Kim Taeyeon's heart.

"Alright, alright," Mother Kim finally couldn't watch anymore and smiled to dissuade them. "Stop playing around, or the neighbors will complain soon."

Jiang Zhiyu finally stopped, and Tima took the opportunity to escape behind Kim Taeyeon, poking her head out and making a face at Jiang Zhiyu: "Blehh!"

Jiang Zhiyu straightened his messed-up clothes and gave Mother Kim an apologetic smile. "Sorry, we went too far."

"It's fine, it's fine," Father Kim said with a smile. "It's a good thing for young people to have energy."

He checked the time. "It's still early. How about... we go to Nambu Market for a walk later? Nambu Market at night is very lively, and there are many snacks."

This suggestion was immediately met with a response from Tima: "Yay! I want to eat tteokbokki! And sundae! And glutinous rice sausage!!"

She counted on her fingers, her eyes shining amazingly.

Kim Taeyeon looked at Jiang Zhiyu: "Jiang Zhiyu, you have to get up early to catch your ride tomorrow. Should you rest earlier?"

Jiang Zhiyu shook his head. "It's fine, I have enough energy. Besides... coming all the way to Jeonju, it would be a pity not to visit Nambu Market."

As he said this, he looked at Kim Taeyeon, his eyes filled with inquiry. "Does Noona want to go?"

That look was clear and sincere, without any coercion or expectation, just purely seeking her opinion.

Kim Taeyeon's heart accelerated uncontrollably again.

She looked away and said softly, "Then... let's go."

"Yay!" Tima cheered. "Night market! Night market!"

In the night, the Kim family's yard was warmly lit. The pine trees swayed gently in the wind, and the wind chimes tinkled.

Jiang Zhiyu stood under the lights with a gentle smile. Kim Taeyeon stood beside him, her heart beating like a drum.

And Tima had already impatiently started planning what to eat.

This night was not yet over.

And something seemed to be quietly growing in this warm night.

Just like the flowers and plants in the yard, in the early summer night, they quietly stretched their branches and leaves, waiting for the moment to bloom.

The Kim family's bathroom was a traditional Korean design with a wooden structure, emitting a faint woody fragrance when the steam rose. But tonight, after Jiang Zhiyu and Tima had both taken showers and come out, the whole house was filled with a completely different, refreshing fragrance.

The first to come out was Tima.

She was wearing the pink pajamas Mother Kim had prepared for her, her hair was wet and draped over her shoulders, and her little face was flushed, looking like a freshly steamed glutinous rice ball. But the most eye-catching thing was the scent she was emitting—

It was a cold and distant fragrance, like wintersweet blooming in the dead of winter. At first sniff, it carried a hint of chill, like the cold wind of winter, but upon careful savoring, one could smell a faint, elusive sweetness hidden within. The fragrance was not strong, but extremely lasting; wherever she passed, a faint trace of plum blossom scent would remain in the air.

"Wow, Tima, you smell so good!" Xia Yan was the first to lean in. "What body wash is this? It smells so good!"

Tima blinked and said with a grin, "It's just regular body wash! Maybe it's my natural body scent!"

She said it confidently, as if this were the most normal thing in the world.

Although the Kim family found it a bit strange—after all, they hadn't noticed Tima having such an obvious body scent before—they didn't delve into it. They just assumed the young girl had used some special skincare product.

Until Jiang Zhiyu walked out of the bathroom.

At that moment, the air in the living room seemed to freeze.

Jiang Zhiyu had changed into a simple white T-shirt and grey sweatpants, his hair not yet completely dry, with a few damp strands sticking to his forehead. He walked out while wiping his hair with a towel, his face looking refreshed after the shower.

Then, that fragrance filled the air.

If Tima's fragrance was the coldness of wintersweet, then Jiang Zhiyu's fragrance was the exact opposite, another kind of extreme—

It was the scent of fruit, ripe to the extreme, so sweet it was almost dripping with honey. It was like a peach fully ripened in a midsummer orchard, its skin breaking at the slightest touch, full of juice; or like a citrus fruit sun-dried, the essential oils under the peel evaporating in the heat, carrying the warmth of the sun.

Most uniquely, that fragrance contained a "full" feeling. People who smelled it would involuntarily think of the sweetest, juiciest fruits, and even have a physiological reaction of salivation.

"Oh my..." Mother Kim instinctively covered her mouth. "This scent..."

It was too seductive.

It wasn't the artificially concocted scent of perfume, but a natural, pure food aroma. It was like having some top-tier dessert placed in front of you, making one unable to resist wanting to take a bite.

The Kim family's expressions changed. They looked at Tima, then at Jiang Zhiyu, their faces filled with confusion and surprise.

These two people... they just took a shower, how do they seem like different people?

And it wasn't just the change in scent. Looking closely, Jiang Zhiyu's skin seemed more translucent under the light, his eyes clearer, and he radiated a kind of... indescribable luster.

It was as if he had undergone some kind of "purification," looking brand new from the inside out.

Kim Taeyeon's reaction was the most direct.

She looked at Jiang Zhiyu, her eyes unable to look away at all. That wasn't a look of appreciation or curiosity, but something more primitive, more direct—appetite.

She really wanted to eat him.

It wasn't a metaphor; she really wanted to take a bite and taste what the person emitting such a seductive fragrance actually tasted like.

Her throat moved involuntarily, and she swallowed.

Jiang Zhiyu seemed to notice her gaze, turned his head, and revealed a gentle smile on his face. "Noona?"

His voice pulled Kim Taeyeon out of that strange state.

Kim Taeyeon suddenly snapped back to reality, her cheeks instantly flushing bright red. She hurriedly looked away and said incoherently, "Ah, you... you've showered... then we should... should go..."

She regretted it as soon as she said it—what was she saying! It was completely incoherent!

Fortunately, the others didn't dwell on it. Kim Jiyong checked the time. "It really isn't early. Nambu Market starts closing around ten, so going now is just right."

Xia Yan had already excitedly changed her shoes. "Let's go, let's go! I want to eat hotteok!"

Tima also jumped up. "I want to eat tteokbokki! With double fish cakes!"

Kim Taeyeon took a deep breath, trying to calm her heartbeat. She secretly glanced at Jiang Zhiyu and found that he had already put on his jacket and was tying his shoelaces.

His profile was well-defined under the hallway lights, his eyelashes casting shallow shadows under his eyes. The scent of ripe fruit drifted gently with his movements, lingering at the tip of her nose.

Kim Taeyeon felt another wave of dry mouth.

She hurriedly looked away, forcing herself not to think about those absurd thoughts.

Jiang Zhiyu tied his shoelaces, stood up, and said to Father Kim and Mother Kim, "Uncle, Auntie, we're heading out then."

"Go on, go on," Mother Kim said with a smile. "Be safe, and don't stay out too late."

"Yes," the juniors replied in unison.