375: Chapter 439 Phantom Thief Zhimin (4)

In the private room of the BBQ restaurant, the aroma of pork belly still lingered in the air, but the conversation had shifted from food to more important matters.

Kim Minjeong leaned back in her chair contentedly, rubbing her slightly bulging belly and letting out a satisfied sigh: "Ah—I'm so full."

NingNing glanced at her: "You ate three plates of pork belly, of course you're full."

"That's what I should have eaten!" Kim Minjeong said righteously. "I did the most exercise today!"

Uchinaga Eri silently raised her hand: "I exercised too."

"Was your exercise hogging the air conditioner?" NingNing teased.

"Pfft—" Kim Minjeong burst out laughing.

Uchinaga Eri glared at NingNing, but the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up.

Karina sat to the side, quietly drinking water, but her gaze occasionally drifted toward the man across from her who was wiping his hands with a tissue.

Jiang Zhiyu put down his chopsticks, picked up the teacup in front of him, and took a gentle sip. The warm liquid slid down his throat, leaving a faint, sweet aftertaste. He looked up at the four girls sitting around the table, a serious light flashing in his clear eyes.

"Next, there's something I need to tell you all."

Kim Minjeong immediately sat up straight, her eyes sparkling. NingNing put down her phone, and Uchinaga Eri also leaned in slightly, adopting a listening posture. Only Karina remained in her previous position, but her fingers gripping the water cup tightened unconsciously.

Jiang Zhiyu looked at their reactions, the corners of his mouth turning up slightly.

"Don't be nervous, it's good news."

He paused and continued:

"This autumn, aespa will release a digital album, a single. It's a joint project between TG and SM."

Kim Minjeong's eyes grew even brighter: "Really?!"

NingNing frowned slightly: "Autumn? It's almost October now..."

"That's why it's called an autumn digital album." Jiang Zhiyu's tone was calm. "One single is enough."

He said it nonchalantly, but all four of them understood what it meant.

The deep cooperation between TG and SM currently had two core directions—one was Kim Taeyeon's individual project, and the other was aespa.

And Kim Taeyeon's was a "deep-level cooperation," a top-tier project personally handled by Jiang Zhiyu.

aespa's was the "most important and most familiar project."

The trust accumulated since their trainee days allowed them to relax in front of him, to be less tense, and to occasionally act spoiled or play around.

This kind of treatment wasn't something just anyone could have.

Uchinaga Eri asked: "What's the style?"

Jiang Zhiyu didn't answer directly but asked back:

"What do you think autumn feels like?"

The four looked at each other.

Kim Minjeong thought for a moment: "Autumn... cool? Good for wearing hoodies?"

NingNing said: "Falling leaves, bleakness, a bit sentimental."

Uchinaga Eri nodded: "Many autumn songs are sad."

Karina was silent for a second before slowly speaking:

"It's the season of harvest, and also the beginning of the end."

Jiang Zhiyu looked at her, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes.

"Well said."

He put down his teacup, interlaced his fingers on the table, and spoke with a touch of seriousness:

"But the autumn I want to write about isn't sad."

He looked out the window, the glow of neon lights flowing across his face.

"I think autumn is lukewarm."

Kim Minjeong tilted her head: "Lukewarm?"

"Yes." Jiang Zhiyu retracted his gaze, his eyes sweeping over the four of them. "Not the scorching heat of summer, not the freezing cold of winter, but that—just right temperature. Like a cup of hot coffee held in your hands; warm, but not scalding. Calmly waiting for the arrival of winter."

He leaned forward slightly, his tone taking on a hint of mystery:

"So, the name of this song is—'coffee'."

"Coffee?" NingNing was stunned for a moment. "What does that have to do with autumn?"

Jiang Zhiyu's lips curled up slightly:

"The general meaning of the lyrics is—spring goes and autumn comes, we've lived through it all. The stories that happened are like the warm coffee in our hands, warm and rich."

He paused, looking at the four pairs of eyes that lit up simultaneously, and suddenly felt playful.

"Do you want me to reveal some lyrics?"

"Yes!!!"

Kim Minjeong was the first to raise her hand, leaning so far forward she almost knocked the table over.

Although NingNing and Uchinaga Eri didn't speak, their eyes clearly screamed "Sing it, sing it!"

Karina remained silent, but she had put down her water cup and leaned forward a tiny bit—just a tiny bit, so subtle she didn't even notice it herself.

Jiang Zhiyu smiled and cleared his throat.

Then, in that clear and bright voice unique to youth, he sang softly:

"그 기다리던 봄이 지나고——"

(That long-awaited spring has passed—)

"그 선명했던 여름이 지나고——"

(That vivid summer has passed—)

"손 안의 온기는 따뜻한 커피——"

(The warmth in my hand is warm coffee—)

"우리를 데려왔어, 고요한 가을로."

(It has brought us to the quiet autumn.)

When he finished the last line, the private room was so quiet you could hear breathing.

Kim Minjeong's eyes were wide and round, her mouth slightly agape, as if she had been frozen in place.

NingNing's fingers tightened on the hem of her clothes, something shimmering slightly in the depths of her eyes.

Uchinaga Eri, for once, didn't look down at her phone but stared straight at Jiang Zhiyu, her eyes filled with shock.

Karina's hand holding the water cup stopped mid-air, forgetting to put it down.

Four seconds.

Five seconds.

Six seconds.

"Wow—"

Kim Minjeong was the first to make a sound, a long-drawn-out "wow" filled with undisguised amazement.

"Oppa!!!" She grabbed Jiang Zhiyu's arm, her eyes shining like they were filled with stars. "This sounds too good!!!"

NingNing took a deep breath, trying to calm herself, but her voice still carried a hint of a tremor:

"Master, you wrote the song and then sang it yourself... this is just cheating."

Uchinaga Eri rarely spoke up first, but her tone was certain:

"This song will definitely be a hit."

Karina didn't say anything, only silently putting down her cup.

But the way she looked at Jiang Zhiyu was several shades deeper than usual.

Jiang Zhiyu smiled, ruffled Kim Minjeong's hair, and gently pried her off his arm:

"Don't get too excited, I only gave you a little teaser."

He paused and continued with the business at hand:

"The deep cooperation with aespa will begin in the spring and summer of next year. Compared to winter, spring and summer are warmer and more comfortable, and some outdoor scenes are easier to film—at least you won't have to deal with the cold wind."

Kim Minjeong immediately caught the main point:

"What kind of variety show is it? Oppa, give us a little spoiler~"

She pressed her hands together, blinking her eyes with an expression that was impossible to refuse.

Jiang Zhiyu looked at her, a helpless smile flashing in his eyes.

He thought for a moment and slowly spoke:

"SM's suggestion is for me to finalize your settings in Kwangya."

He paused and added, "This is Lee Soo-man's idea."

Hearing that name, the four girls all sat up a bit straighter.

"So I think," Jiang Zhiyu continued, "we could design an RPG reality show? Something like..."

His words suddenly stopped.

Not because he forgot his lines, but because—

Mentioning Lee Soo-man reminded him of something.

In that instant, the warmth in his eyes plummeted.

It wasn't anger, it wasn't disgust, but something deeper that made one's spine tingle. That gaze was like a cold wind on a winter night, like a bottomless abyss, carrying a certain dangerous... scrutiny.

He let out a cold laugh.

The laugh was very light, almost inaudible, but to the four girls, it sounded like a thunderclap.

Then, in the next second, that icy aura vanished completely.

He returned to his original gentleness, as if nothing had just happened.

"...Actually, I haven't thought of the specific process yet," he continued, his tone as calm as if they were discussing today's weather, "but there's no rush. I'm quite busy right now, especially—"

He looked at Kim Minjeong, the corners of his mouth turning up slightly:

"Minjeong, I've already cleared it with SM. Your limited winter solo single will be handled by me."

Kim Minjeong was stunned.

"It would be a waste for someone named Winter not to sing in the winter," Jiang Zhiyu said. "So, this winter is your season."

Kim Minjeong's eyes widened bit by bit.

And then—

"AAAAAAAAAAHHH—!!!"

She lunged forward, throwing her arms around Jiang Zhiyu's neck and hanging onto him, letting out a series of cheers.

"Oppa!! Really!!! You're too good to me!!! I'm going to cry!!! I'm really going to cry!!!"

Jiang Zhiyu swayed from the force of her hug, smiling helplessly as he reached out to rub her head.

Karina sat nearby, watching this scene and pursing her lips.

In that gaze was a hint of something she hadn't noticed herself—envy.

It wasn't jealousy over Kim Minjeong's solo opportunity.

It was envy that she could express herself so without reservation.

Jiang Zhiyu rubbed his neck, which had been squeezed by Kim Minjeong, and turned to NingNing:

"NingNing, SM doesn't have plans for you to return to China for marketing yet."

NingNing's expression didn't change much, she just nodded: "I know."

Jiang Zhiyu looked at her with a hint of admiration:

"However, I've contacted a few domestic TV drama OSTs for you."

NingNing's eyes lit up: "Really?"

"Next, you'll be busy too," Jiang Zhiyu said. "Domestic production teams have very high requirements for vocals. Are you ready?"

NingNing nodded vigorously, the curve of her lips impossible to suppress.

Uchinaga Eri sat to the side, silent, but her gaze remained fixed on Jiang Zhiyu.

Jiang Zhiyu looked at her and fell silent for a second.

"As for Eri..."

He paused, seemingly weighing his words.

Uchinaga Eri continued to look at him calmly, waiting for the rest.

"It's indeed not easy to find," Jiang Zhiyu said honestly. "Blackpink's 'cool girl' style isn't much different from yours. If you just copy that route, it's easy to be compared, and you'll end up with the reputation of being an 'imitator'."

Uchinaga Eri nodded, not disagreeing.

"So," Jiang Zhiyu looked at her seriously, "I suggest you take the powerhouse route. Rap is your strength, but don't limit yourself to the 'idol rapper' box. You can try deeper things with more personal color."

Uchinaga Eri was silent for a few seconds before slowly nodding:

"I understand."

In that tone, there was no disappointment or resentment, only a calm—acceptance and determination.

Finally, Jiang Zhiyu's gaze landed on Karina.

"Ji-min goes without saying," he began, "next we need to manage the Pig—"

He didn't finish the sentence.

Because Karina's gaze instantly became sharp.

Pig.

Pig again.

Pig Head Phantom Thief!

Phantom Thief Zhimin!

That look was like a knife, stabbing straight at him.

But paired with her fair little face and slightly puffed-out cheeks, the look wasn't intimidating; instead, it carried a cuteness that said, "If you dare say another word, I'll bite you."

Super cute.

The private room went silent for a second.

Then the other three simultaneously wore "I get it" expressions.

Kim Minjeong covered her mouth and giggled.

NingNing lowered her head, her shoulders shaking.

Uchinaga Eri silently picked up her phone and pointed it at Karina.

"Hey! Jiang Zhiyu!" Karina finally couldn't help but speak, her voice tinged with embarrassment and anger, "Don't you dare try to say it!"

Jiang Zhiyu looked at her, the corners of his mouth turning up slightly.

In that smile, there was a bit of guilt, a bit of helplessness, and a bit of—doting, which he hadn't even noticed himself.

He raised his hands in a gesture of surrender:

"Alright, alright, I won't say it, I won't say it."

Karina glared at him, her beautiful eyes clearly saying: You'd better remember that.

Jiang Zhiyu cleared his throat and brought the topic back on track:

"Alright, everyone get ready to head back once you're full. I've arranged a car to take you back to the dorm."

The four of them began to pack their things.

Jiang Zhiyu suddenly remembered something and asked another question:

"By the way, SM has told you about the dorm adjustments, right?"

Kim Minjeong was stunned for a moment and exchanged looks with NingNing and Uchinaga Eri; all three looked bewildered.

"Dorm adjustments?" Kim Minjeong blinked. "What dorm adjustments?"

NingNing also looked confused: "Haven't heard anything."

Uchinaga Eri shook her head.

Karina thought for a moment and slowly said:

"I overheard something... saying that our living quarters seem to have increased?"

"Increased?" Kim Minjeong was even more puzzled. "What does 'increased' mean?"

Karina shook her head: "I don't know either, I just vaguely heard the Manager on the phone, saying something about 'dorm adjustments' and 'new places'."

The four of them turned their gazes to Jiang Zhiyu at the same time.

Jiang Zhiyu leaned back in his chair and explained unhurriedly:

"TG has invested in quite a bit of real estate for rental. I deliberately set aside a few units to serve as your dorms through SM."

[part:gemini-3.1-flash-lite]

The four of them froze.

"There are two reasons." Jiang Zhiyu held up two fingers.

"First, it won't be disturbed by sasaengs or paparazzi, and SM's supervision won't be too strict—after all, it's my place, and I have my own discretion."

"Second—"

He paused, his lips curving slightly upwards, revealing a hint of the shrewdness unique to a businessman:

"In the future, after you stop living there, the title of 'the house where aespa lived' will be a huge temptation for the fans."

He smiled, his tone carrying a trace of mischief:

"And the pricing won't be too expensive. The money earned in the future will be split equally among everyone."

The private room was quiet for a second.

Then—

"Master!!!"

NingNing was the first to rush over, grabbing Jiang Zhiyu's arm:

"You are absolutely a business genius!!!"

Kim Minjeong also pounced over, hanging onto his other arm:

"Oppa!!! I want to follow you forever!!!"

Uchinaga Eri quietly added a finishing blow:

"Capitalist."

Jiang Zhiyu immediately turned his head, looking at her seriously:

"I am an entrepreneur, not a capitalist."

The tone was as serious as if he were delivering a political manifesto.

Uchinaga Eri raised an eyebrow: "Is there a difference?"

"Of course there is." Jiang Zhiyu said righteously, "Although we are dealing with capital, it is all for—serving the people."

NingNing couldn't help but laugh out loud, quickly echoing:

"Right, right, right, people's entrepreneur, serving the people."

Kim Minjeong didn't care about any of this at all; her attention was entirely on another matter:

"The dormitory's decoration styles must all be different! I want to pick the room with the best view!"

She had already started daydreaming about her wonderful future life.

NingNing rolled her eyes: "Unnie, all you think about is the room."

"Of course! Living comfortably is the most important thing!"

"Why do you get to pick? It should be by age order!"

"I'm an Unnie too!"

"You're only a few months older than me!"

"You should try beating Ji-min Unnie to it first."

Kim Minjeong immediately looked at Karina, her eyes filled with the expectation of "Unnie, you won't fight me for it, right?"

Karina didn't speak, just quietly picked up her cup to drink water.

That expression clearly said: May the best woman win.

The two of them started bickering back and forth.

Uchinaga Eri quietly packed her things, a faint, almost imperceptible smile on her lips.

Jiang Zhiyu stood up: "Alright, let's go."

The five of them walked out of the private room one after another.

The lights in the hallway were soft, and the wooden floor beneath their feet made a slight sound.

Kim Minjeong walked at the very front, chatting away with NingNing about the new dormitory. Uchinaga Eri followed behind them, occasionally chiming in.

Jiang Zhiyu and Karina lagged behind at the end.

The hallway lights were a bit dim, casting mottled light and shadows on him.

She suddenly remembered what he had said earlier—"The money earned in the future will be split equally among everyone."

He could have easily taken it all for himself.

TG was his company, the house was invested in by him, and the resources were provided by him.

But he was always like this—giving the best to them, wanting nothing for himself.

She bit her lip, quickened her pace, and caught up.

At the end of the hallway, Jiang Zhiyu suddenly stopped.

Karina almost bumped into his back.

She looked up, meeting his gaze.

In that instant, the same thought surged in both of their minds—later, they would need a space to be alone.

Some things needed to be cleared up.

Jiang Zhiyu looked at her, and in those clear, cold eyes, something was flickering slightly.

Karina met his gaze without looking away.

A few seconds later, Jiang Zhiyu withdrew his gaze and continued walking forward.

Karina followed behind him, her heart beating inexplicably faster.

The elevator doors opened, and the five of them filed in.

Kim Minjeong was still chatting away about the new dormitory, with NingNing and Uchinaga Eri occasionally chiming in.

Karina stood in the corner, looking at Jiang Zhiyu, who was standing at the front, through the reflection in the elevator door.

He was also looking at her in the reflection.

Their eyes met, and then quickly separated.

The elevator slowly descended. The numbers ticked down one by one.

Karina silently counted down in her heart—how much longer until she could speak with him alone?

When could she finally ask the questions that had been bottled up in her heart?

The elevator doors opened, and the night breeze blew in, carrying the chill of early autumn.

She took a deep breath and followed the others into the night.

Some things needed to have an answer tonight.

——(The laptop ran out of battery. Only one update today.)

(I only knew what date it was after writing about the Bubble livestream; this is the taste of the daily grind! It's so mundane that I forgot the time; by the time I realized I had been wasting my life, I could no longer return to the happiness of the past.) [From now on, I need to frequently check the weather in Seoul to modify the Bubble content]

(Promoting Karina today because I like her.)

[March 18, 2026 06:40 - First Selfie]

Outside the window, the sky was just beginning to brighten, and the morning light leaked through the gap in the curtains, casting a blurry patch of light on the floor. Karina stretched a hand out from under the quilt and took a picture of that patch of light. The photo was still blurry; her hand had no strength. Click.

She squinted as she edited, adding a speech Bubble to the photo:

"6:40. Wednesday. Woke up. Not naturally, but because I dreamed you stole my quilt. Woke up cold."

Send.

[06:45 - First Reply Video]

Karina was still lying in bed, wrapped tightly in the quilt, with only half her face and a few strands of messy hair exposed. Her eyes hadn't fully opened yet, and her voice was soft and sweet, with the hoarseness of just waking up.

"In the dream, you stole my quilt... I said I was cold... you wouldn't give it back... I chased you... couldn't catch you... then I woke up... I was really cold... look..."

She pulled the quilt up, exposing only her eyes.

"It's all your fault... you made me wake up cold... you owe me a quilt... forget it... too lazy to argue with you... lying here for five more minutes..."

Video ended. Send.

[07:05 - Second Selfie]

Karina finally crawled out of bed, her hair frizzed up like a little lion, her nightgown wrinkled, the neckline skewed to one side. She stood by the window, sleepily taking a photo of the view outside. It was cloudy today, with soft light. Click.

Bubble caption:

"Up. Cloudy today. 6 to 14 degrees. I'm telling you because... I just happened to see it. I didn't check it specifically for you."

Send.

[07:15 - Second Reply Video]

Karina finished washing her face and recorded a video in front of the mirror. Water droplets still hung on her face, her eyelashes were wet, and her skin was translucently fair. She glanced at the camera, then looked away, slowly wiping the water droplets off her face with a towel. The whole thing was five seconds long, and she didn't say a word.

Video ended. Send.

[07:35 - Third Selfie]

Karina stood in the entryway, having changed her shoes and preparing to go out. She took a full-body photo in front of the mirror—black hoodie, dark blue jeans, white canvas shoes, hair tied in a low ponytail, wearing a black mask. Click.

Bubble caption:

"Going out. Training. You busy yourself. No need to report."

Send.

[08:10 - Fourth Selfie]

Karina arrived at the practice room and sat on the floor to change into her dance shoes. She raised her phone and took a picture in the mirror. She was hunched over, revealing a section of the back of her neck, with a few strands of hair hanging down, looking very soft. Click.

Bubble caption:

"Arrived. Dancing. Practicing a new dance today. Don't bother me. If you bother me, I'll get angry."

Send.

[10:30 - Fifth Selfie]

During a break in practice, Karina sat on the floor drinking water. She raised her phone and took a picture of the sky outside the window. The clouds were thick, grayish-white, and the sun couldn't be seen. Click.

Bubble caption:

"Cloudy. No sun. Has nothing to do with you. It's just the weather."

Send.

[12:15 - Sixth Selfie]

Lunchtime. The Manager delivered a boxed meal; today it was Korean bibimbap. Karina opened the lid and took a picture. Various colored vegetables were spread over the rice, with a fried egg in the middle. Click.

Bubble caption:

"Lunch. Bibimbap. Ate it. Did you eat? Just asking. No need to answer."

Send.

[15:30 - Seventh Selfie]

Afternoon training finished; Karina sat on the floor, covered in sweat. She raised her phone and took a photo in the mirror. Her hair was soaked and stuck to her face, her cheeks were flushed, but her gaze was still faint, carrying a bit of exhaustion. Click.

Bubble caption:

"Finished training. Tired. Going home. Thought of you today... once. Thought of it while dancing. Just once."

Send.

[16:45 - Eighth Selfie]

Karina arrived home, and the first thing she did was pounce onto the bed. She lay on the bed, face buried in the pillow, and raised her phone to take a picture of her own back as she lay there. Her hair was spread out, her whole body soft, like a cat with no energy. Click.

Bubble caption:

"Home. Lying down for a bit. Don't bother me. Even if you bother me, I'm still lying down."

Send.

[17:30 - Ninth Selfie]

Karina finished her shower, changed into pajamas, and curled up on the sofa. Today's pajamas were that milky-white cotton set; she curled into a small ball, hugging a pillow, with only half her face and a pair of eyes exposed. Click.

Bubble caption:

"Finished shower. Lying down. Thought of you today... twice. Thought of you once more on the way home. Two times in total. Record complete."

Send.

[18:15 - Tenth Selfie]

Karina started preparing dinner. She opened the fridge and took a photo of the ingredients inside—eggs, green onions, kimchi, pork belly, tofu, zucchini, rice cakes. Click.

Bubble caption:

"Dinner. Making it myself. Not making it for you. Don't overthink it."

Send.

[19:00 - Eleventh Selfie]

Dinner was ready, kimchi pork belly fried rice. Karina scooped the fried rice into a bowl and took a picture. The fried rice was golden, the kimchi was red, and it was steaming hot. Click.

Bubble caption:

"Done. Kimchi fried rice. Looks okay, right? You can't eat it. Stop thinking about it."

Send.

[19:45 - Twelfth Selfie]

Karina finished her meal and lay on the sofa, spacing out. She raised her phone and took a picture of the ceiling. A white ceiling, nothing else. Click.

Bubble caption:

"Finished eating. Spacing out. Thought about you while I was at it. Just for a bit. Don't overthink it."

Send.

[20:30 - Thirteenth Selfie]

Karina stood by the window, taking a photo of the night view outside. There were fewer clouds tonight, and a few stars could be seen; the lights of Namsan Tower were shining in the distance. Click.

Bubble caption:

"Night view. A few stars. Can you see the stars on your side? If you can't, forget it. I'll look for you."

Send.

[21:15 - Third Reply Video]

Karina was curled up on the sofa, hugging a pillow, her whole body shrunk into a small ball. She looked at the camera, didn't speak, just watched quietly. After a few seconds, she sighed softly.

"Practiced a new dance today... there's a move that's very hard... I keep failing at it... annoying... I was wondering if you were by my side... would you teach me... you definitely wouldn't... you would only laugh at me... forget it..."

She buried her face into the pillow, exposing one eye.

"What... did you do today? It's okay if you don't say... I'm just asking casually... really casually..."

Video ended. Send.

[21:45 - Fourteenth Selfie]

Karina lay in bed, wrapped tightly in the quilt, with only her eyes exposed. The bedside lamp was on, warm yellow light shining on her face, her eyelashes casting faint shadows under her eyes, looking soft and weak, like a small animal that needed protection. Click.

Bubble caption:

"In bed. Today is March 18th. Thought of you twice. Might be less tomorrow. Depends on your performance. Good night."

Send.

[22:00 - Last Reply Video]

Karina was almost asleep, eyes half-open and half-closed, eyelashes fluttering gently. She held the phone in her hand, the screen shaking, and only her blurry profile and half an ear buried in the pillow could be seen.

"Tomorrow... Thursday... continue training... you have to go to work too, right... let's both work hard... no need to think of me... but if you do, that's fine too... whatever you want..."

She turned over, burying her face into the pillow, her voice getting smaller and smaller.

"Good night... didn't say it on purpose... I'm just sleepy..."

The voice disappeared, leaving only the sound of even breathing. Video ended. Send.

[22:05 - Last Text Reply]

Before turning off the lights, Karina sent a message:

"March 18, 2026. Thought of you twice. Good night."

Send.