309: Chapter 289 The Hunting Plan of the Darkened IU

Inside the quiet private room of a high-end membership tea house, the air was filled with the faint scent of sandalwood and the fragrance of premium tea leaves. However, this tranquility was broken by a small figure who was 'burying herself' in the exquisite cappuccino cake in front of her, while her body trembled slightly.

Lee Tima had almost buried her face in the cake, eating every bite fiercely and hurriedly, as if she were not savoring a dessert, but performing some kind of ritual to relieve her anxiety. Her shoulders were even trembling uncontrollably, like a small quail frightened by a storm.

Jiang Zhiyu sat opposite her, slowly sipping the Oolong tea in his cup. Watching her comical appearance—'facing death' yet not forgetting to seize the time to enjoy the last bit of sweetness—he finally couldn't help but tease:

"Pig-eun," he used that 'pet name' only the two of them understood, "Can you stop eating like a prisoner having their last meal before being sent to the execution ground? If people didn't know better, they'd think I was abusing a child."

Lee Tima lifted her head from the cake, her mouth still stained with cream and cocoa powder. She glanced at Jiang Zhiyu with a look that suggested she was staring at the world's biggest idiot, and retorted vaguely but with righteous indignation: "Yah! Can you not know why I'm like this? It's all because of you! Forcing me to be a 'third wheel'! When Unnie arrives later, she's definitely going to settle scores with me! I haven't really gone to see her lately, and I've been hanging out with Taeyeon Unnie and Yoona Unnie... It's over, it's all over..."

By the end, her eyes began to glaze over, as if she could already see the miserable future of being 'gently educated' by IU.

Jiang Zhiyu raised an eyebrow, revealing a smile that could be described as wicked: "Oh? Settle what scores? I don't know about that. Don't you love your IU Unnie the most?"

"You!" Lee Tima was angered by his feigned ignorance. She swallowed the cake in her mouth and urged, "Anyway, if Unnie gets angry later and tries to hit me, you must help me stop her! Or at least help me share some of the heat!"

Jiang Zhiyu sipped his tea calmly, not even lifting his eyelids: "Wait until you actually get hit before talking about it."

"Aish!" Lee Tima was so angry she almost jumped up, "What you said is the same as saying nothing! It's completely useless! You have no loyalty at all!"

Jiang Zhiyu couldn't be bothered to pay attention to her and rolled his eyes elegantly.

Lee Tima looked at the remaining half of the cake with grief and indignation. Thinking of the 'storm' she might face later, her eyes grew even more desperate. Suddenly, she shouted as if giving up on herself: "Another one! One isn't enough! I'm going to turn my grief into appetite!"

"Keep your voice down." Jiang Zhiyu calmly beckoned to the waiter, signaling for another cake of the same kind, and then lowered his voice, speaking in a coaxing tone, "Look at you, all you know is fear. As IU's 'best' little sister, shouldn't you have the ability to give your 'dear Unnie' the most thoughtful gift at a critical moment, one that can help her solve her worries, so that once she's happy, she'll forget all about those 'little negligences'?"

Lee Tima looked at him guardedly, chewing the cake, and mumbled: "A gift? You mean... I write a song for Unnie? To celebrate her successful transition?" She felt this was a good idea; writing songs was her specialty.

Jiang Zhiyu shook his head, wearing an expression of 'a child who cannot be taught': "Your perspective is too small. Does IU lack a song written by you? With her own creative abilities and the company's channels for collecting songs, she never lacks good music. If you want to give a gift, give her something she needs most and isn't easily obtained."

"Then what is that?" Lee Tima blinked.

"Of course it's... a drama or movie script that can help her 'achieve a stylistic breakthrough' and 'broaden her acting path'." Jiang Zhiyu said it as if it were a matter of course.

The spoonful of cake Lee Tima had just stuffed into her mouth almost sprayed out. She widened her eyes, looking at him with an expression that said 'are you crazy?': "Oppa! It's fine if you ask me to write songs, and arranging is okay, but a script?! I only know how to act according to a script! I can't do the screenwriter stuff where you have to rack your brains to make up stories!" She still had a clear understanding of the scope of her 'creative' abilities.

Jiang Zhiyu looked at her shocked little face, sighed, and prompted her in a tone that said 'why are you so dense' : "You really are stupid. If you can't write it, can't you 'borrow' it? Think about 'that place' of ours, those classic, popular works. For example... that urban growth inspirational drama that won the annual award and is considered a classic in workplace and life..."

Lee Tima was blank at first, then a flash of inspiration crossed her mind. Tentatively, and with an incredulous tone, she uttered two words: "... white horse?"

Jiang Zhiyu nodded approvingly: "That's right, white horse."

white horse—in their original world (a parallel modern timeline of the Tianxuan Continent), this was a phenomenal TV drama. It told the story of how the protagonist, Luo An, went from a confused youth at the bottom of society to a business legend after experiencing hardships, relying on her own resilience, wisdom, and keen grasp of the era. The plot was solid, the character portrayal was profound, and it was both passionate and realistic; it was truly a classic.

Lee Tima sat up straight, even forgetting to eat her cake, and her voice rose a notch: "white horse?! But... but the protagonist Luo An is a man! And the background and business details aren't exactly the same as they are here..."

"That's why you need to 'adapt' it!" Jiang Zhiyu spread his hands, as if he were talking about something incredibly simple, "Change the protagonist's gender to female, localize the background, and retain the essence of the core growth arc, the fighting spirit, and the grasp of era opportunities. When the time comes, put the TG Entertainment co-development label on it, prepare the script outline, main character biographies, episode summaries—oh, and the theme song and OST drafts that fit the plot—and package it all into a 'surprise gift package' for IU. When she sees it, she'll go, 'Wow! A tailor-made masterpiece for my transition!' It can showcase her acting depth and commercial value! She'll be so happy that she'll definitely pick you up, lift you high, and kiss you. All those old scores about 'neglecting Unnie' will be wiped clean."

The future Jiang Zhiyu described seemed very bright. Lee Tima tilted her head and pondered for a moment. However, her subsequent reaction completely deviated from Jiang Zhiyu's expectations.

She first curled her lips, revealing an expression of utter disgust: "Forget it... I hate it when she kisses me because she has bad breath..."

Jiang Zhiyu: "..." He was speechless inside. Could this dead child focus on something normal?!

Before Jiang Zhiyu could complain, the disgust on Lee Tima's face quickly turned into a sneer of scrutiny and... inexplicable superiority. She crossed her arms and said in a tone that was almost provocative:

"But then again, Oppa, do you really think IU Unnie can pull off a role like white horse? Yes, she acted well as that tragic woman burdened by the pressures of life in My Mister, and some other introverted roles were okay too. But this is a proper, full-fledged big-female-lead business struggle drama! It's not one of those tear-jerker idol dramas or art films! It requires decisive, aura-filled 'boss' energy that can go toe-to-toe with men at the negotiation table, plus the grass-roots grit and street smarts of someone who climbed up from the bottom... Can IU Unnie, with her 'Nation's Little Sister' and 'Chart Queen' fairy-like image, carry it? Can she act it well? Don't let her ruin the white horse brand and her own transition dream."

Her analysis was sharp, like a bystander, and even carried a bit of 'wishing she would live up to expectations' sentiment, completely forgetting that she was just afraid of being held accountable by IU.

However, just as Lee Tima finished speaking—

"Creak."

The heavy, soundproof door of the private room was gently pushed open a crack.

Immediately after, the door was pushed open completely.

An elegant, tall figure, with makeup so exquisite it looked like she had just walked out of a magazine pictorial, stood quietly at the door. On her face was IU's signature sweet, yet inexplicably chilling 'death threat' smile. Her gaze, like a precise laser, instantly locked onto Lee Tima, who was crossing her arms and critically commenting.

IU parted her red lips, her voice so gentle it could drip water, yet it made the temperature in the entire private room drop by ten degrees:

"Lee... Tima... I think I heard someone discussing my name?"

She walked slowly into the private room, her high heels clicking on the floor, making a crisp and oppressive sound. Her gaze swept over the frozen Lee Tima, then glanced at Jiang Zhiyu, who had an expression of 'this is going to be a good show' beside her, and finally returned to Lee Tima's little face, which had instantly turned pale and was written with 'my life is over'.

"Hmm?" IU tilted her head slightly, her smile becoming even brighter, "Were you discussing... what dramas I 'act well' and what dramas I 'act poorly'? Tell me about it? Unnie is very curious too."

Lee Tima: "!!!" The cake fork in her hand fell into the bone china plate with a 'clatter'.

Jiang Zhiyu picked up his teacup, covering the slightly upturned corners of his mouth.

Well, it seems this 'third wheel' is about to become 'cannon fodder'. However, the atmosphere is... suddenly very 'lively'.

Lee Tima's reaction was smooth and natural, as if she had rehearsed it a thousand times.

Just zero point one seconds after IU's 'tell me about it' voice fell—

"Thump!"

A muffled sound, not of knees hitting the ground, but of her whole person sliding onto the carpet with an extremely silky speed, without any hesitation. She didn't just kneel down; it was a near prostration, her hands 'clapped' together over her head, her forehead almost touching the carpet fuzz, the whole set of movements as smooth as if she had practiced martial arts.

"Unnie! I was wrong! I was really, really wrong!" Lee Tima's voice instantly switched to a tearful (though if one listened carefully, they could distinguish seven parts exaggeration and three parts genuine fear) penitent mode, her speaking speed so fast it was like rapping.

"Everything I said earlier was nonsense! I was speaking without thinking! Unnie's acting is, of course, flawless from every angle; whatever you play, you embody, and whatever you play becomes a hit!"

"What's 'white horse'? Even if it were universe-level blockbusters like 'Azure Dragon', 'Black Tortoise', or 'Vermilion Bird', as long as Unnie wants to act in them, it would be a piece of cake, and you'd have so many Best Actress trophies you wouldn't know what to do with them!"

"I must have... I must have been overwhelmed by the caffeine in the cake, or infected with stupidity by that bad guy, Zhiyu Oppa! Unnie, you are magnanimous, please forgive this ignorant, short-sighted, foolish little sister whose mouth is faster than her brain!"

While she spoke, she moved her hands pressed together in a prayer-like gesture up and down, as if worshiping a Bodhisattva, while secretly lifting her eyelids slightly to observe IU's expression through her fingers. That cowardly yet comical appearance was simply laughable.

Jiang Zhiyu watched this scene, the corner of his mouth twitching, and finally, he couldn't help but let out a low laugh. He stood up calmly, nodded slightly to IU at the door, and revealed a standard social smile: "IU xi, good evening. Apologies, I've let you see something embarrassing."

His voice was gentle and calm, instantly pulling the bizarre "interrogation" atmosphere in the private room back to the channel of a normal business meeting.

IU's gaze moved away from the "penitent object" on the floor and landed on Jiang Zhiyu.

At this look, the "Capture Jiang Plan" (or perhaps "Deep Cooperation Strategy") that she had repeatedly deduced and simulated in her mind countless times saw the desire for its fulfillment soar to an unprecedented height, and her heart skipped a beat uncontrollably.

"Aish!" She cursed inwardly, not out of anger, but with a sense of irritation caused by being stunned. How long had it been since she'd seen this guy up close? Why did it seem like... he was growing outrageously handsome?

The light fell on his well-defined face, his nose bridge high and straight, his eyes deep, and the faint smile on his lips was just right—neither overly warm nor appearing cold.

What moved IU even more was that as Jiang Zhiyu walked a few steps closer, an extremely faint yet exceptionally pleasant scent drifted over. It wasn't the smell of any perfume or skincare product; it was more like the sweet, fresh fragrance naturally emitted by some... plump, ripe, and juicy fruit. It vaguely resembled a peach, with a hint of other fruit aromas—fresh and alluring, making her inexplicably think of a ripe orchard bathed in sunlight.

"Fruit scent... so fragrant..." IU's throat rolled imperceptibly, and an extremely inappropriate thought popped up: I really want to take a bite... to taste if it's really that sweet.

She hurriedly extinguished this overly fierce (and perverted) imagination, forcing herself to focus. On the surface, she was still the impeccable top artist IU, returning an elegant and appropriate smile to Jiang Zhiyu, bowing slightly: "Hello, President Jiang. Sorry to have kept you waiting."

Jiang Zhiyu seemed not to notice her momentary distraction (or perhaps he noticed but chose to ignore it). He stepped aside to signal for IU to take a seat, while simultaneously glancing at Lee Tima, who was still lying on the floor playing dead. With a tone containing a hint of helpless amusement, he said to IU: "This child, Tima, has been spoiled by us since she was young, and sometimes she speaks without weight or restraint. It was her fault for offending you today. If IU xi feels she needs to be 'educated' next, perhaps... I could temporarily take over and discipline her on your behalf?"

His words were cleverly phrased, simultaneously making his stance clear (the child is at fault) and giving IU a graceful exit (you can punish, and I can help), while also subtly reminding her that Lee Tima was also "one of us" (a person from TG Entertainment). The sense of propriety was perfectly grasped.

IU's gaze fell back onto Lee Tima. The little quail on the floor heard Jiang Zhiyu's words, her body shivering imperceptibly as she secretly cast a complex look at IU, mixed with horror, pleading, flattery, and "Unnie, spare my life."

Looking at Lee Tima's cowardly appearance, the anger in IU's heart had actually mostly dissipated, replaced by a sense of helplessness that was both annoying and funny, as well as... a hint of pleasure like a prank having succeeded. She curled the corners of her mouth, revealing a "hehe" chuckle that seemed tolerant and magnanimous but actually hid the meaning of "settling scores later":

"President Jiang, your words are too serious. Kids, at this age, are just a bit lively and speak straightforwardly; it's normal. How could I really hold a grudge against her?" As she spoke, she walked over and seemingly gently reached out to "help" Lee Tima up from the floor.

Lee Tima stood up with the momentum, immediately piling a flattering, soft, and sticky smile on her face that was so sweet it could make someone sick, calling out in the most cutesy voice she could muster: "IU Unnie~ The best and prettiest Unnie~"

The smile on IU's face remained unchanged, but her fingers quietly climbed onto Lee Tima's soft cheek flesh, and then—pinched it with a bit of force, gently tugging it outward.

"However," IU's voice remained gentle, but the message in her eyes clearly signaled "the death penalty is spared, but the living penalty is unavoidable," "Children who haven't been close to their older sister for too long can easily become distant. I think there's no time like the present; after the shoot ends today, you're coming home with me. The two of us sisters will have just enough time to 'properly' communicate and maintain the feelings that have been... hmm, a little 'lacking' lately."

She deliberately placed emphasis on "properly" and "lacking".

Lee Tima, with her face being pinched, spoke unclearly with her eyes wide open, subconsciously wanting to resist: "Andwae (No)~ Unnie, I still have things to do..."

The smile on IU's face instantly vanished, her eyes becoming "nuclear-friendly," and the fingers pinching the cheek applied a bit more force: "Lee Tima, you seem to... not have the right to choose, right?"

Watching Lee Tima's instantly collapsed little face and her expression of daring to be angry but not daring to speak, the dissatisfaction in IU's heart caused by being "cold-shouldered" finally vanished completely, replaced by a sense of satisfaction from regaining the initiative.

Having finished dealing with the "internal traitor," IU's attention returned completely to the main character of the evening—Jiang Zhiyu.

She released Lee Tima (the latter covered her cheeks and shrank aggrievedly onto a chair in the corner of the private room, pretending to be a decoration), turned around, and her gaze met Jiang Zhiyu's again.

This time, she looked more carefully and more unscrupulously (in her mind).

That face—even though she had been in the entertainment industry for many years and was accustomed to all kinds of handsome men and beautiful women—was hard to find a similar existence for. It was an extremely rare composite temperament: the sense of control of a superior intertwined with a faint aura of asceticism, as if everything was under control, yet it carried a sense of detachment. But what was miraculous was that underneath this temperament, it naturally blended with his original gentle-as-jade foundation, not appearing sharp or cold, but instead having an affinity and mystery that invited exploration. Contradictory, yet harmoniously fatal.

Just at the moment their gazes met, deep in IU's heart, that most hidden, most unwilling-to-show dark corner, like dry firewood thrown into a spark, "boomed" and rose up with an unprecedented, almost barbaric possessiveness!

This possessiveness was so strong that she could almost see a little devil with a trident, small pointed horns, and a tail emerging from her shoulder, facing Jiang Zhiyu's direction and letting out a "hehehe" evil laugh:

'Look! Lee Ji-eun! This is the ultimate prey prepared for you... No, that's not right, it's a partner!'

'As a younger sister, Lee Tima should naturally support her older sister's great cause (and romance)!'

'Someone as top-tier as Jiang Zhiyu—talent, appearance, potential, status... besides me, Lee Ji-eun, who else is worthy? Who else can truly command him?'

'And TG Entertainment behind him! Those variety shows that explode in topics, those movie scripts with infinite potential, that inexhaustible musical inspiration... this is simply a top-tier resource treasure trove that is rising rapidly and has infinite potential!'

'Just think, if all of this could be used by me... No, be deeply bound to me! To what extent would my career map expand? Music, film, full-scale domination!'

'These things, only I, Lee Ji-eun, deserve, and only I should get! I! Want! It! All!'

The wild laughter of the little devil and the surging ambition in her heart made IU almost unable to control the calm expression on her face. Looking at Jiang Zhiyu, the "resource entity" close at hand that seemed to emit an alluring luster, she felt her heartbeat accelerating and her blood heating up. It wasn't nervousness, but the excitement and thrill of a hunter seeing their desired prey enter the optimal range.

Very good, Jiang Zhiyu... she recited silently in her heart, two flames of determination burning deep in her eyes.

Hunting... Pfft! She hurriedly corrected her overly straightforward wording, changing it to an expression more consistent with her status and the current scene:

The meeting to establish deep cooperation, now, officially begins.

IU took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the raging waves in her heart, and once again hung that perfect smile—belonging to the top artist IU—calm, composed, and at ease. She sat down elegantly in the main guest seat opposite Jiang Zhiyu, her back straight, hands folded on her lap, her gaze meeting Jiang Zhiyu's calmly.

"So, President Jiang," her voice was clear and melodious, carrying just the right amount of formality and anticipation, "can we... start talking about the main topic now?"