390: Chapter 449 Phantom Thief Zhimin (15)

The second round began.

Sunny's fingers gripped the bottle, her gaze swept across the private room, finally landing on Jiang Zhiyu, a meaningful smile curling the corners of her mouth. She spun it hard, the bottle rotating rapidly on the tabletop, the friction between glass and wood making everyone's heartbeats accelerate a little.

The bottle spun slower and slower, the neck wobbling past each person—Yuri, Sooyoung, Tiffany, Hyoyeon, Seohyun—finally stopping steadily in front of Jiang Zhiyu.

The room was quiet for a moment, then erupted in jeers.

"Oh—!" Hyoyeon clapped first, "Zhiyu! It's Zhiyu!"

Yuri's eyes were strikingly bright: "Now we're in for a show!"

Sooyoung crossed her arms, a meaningful smile on her lips: "Sunny, that spin was good."

Tiffany's eye-smile curved, having already entered "watch the show" mode.

Sunny cleared her throat, leaning slightly forward, hands pressed on the table, looking at Jiang Zhiyu with an expression that said "I'm about to use my ultimate move." "Zhiyu-ah," she drawled, every word dripping with gossip, "you've dealt with so many female idols, who... do you like the most?"

As soon as this question was asked, the entire room went silent.

Yuri stopped clapping, Hyoyeon wiped the smile off her face, Sooyoung put down her glass, Tiffany widened her eyes, Seohyun held her breath slightly. Im Yoona's hand holding her water cup paused in mid-air, Taeyeon lifted her lowered head slightly.

Everyone's gaze was focused on Jiang Zhiyu.

That curiosity wasn't faked; it was genuine. Who was Jiang Zhiyu? The President of TG, a genius planner who built the company into an industry leader within two years, having dealt with female idols from the fourth to the fifth generation, from big trends to newcomers, too many to count. He had seen more pretty faces than the average person had eaten meals, and had collaborated with more female artists than anyone could imagine.

Who did he like the most?

This question truly struck everyone's curiosity.

Jiang Zhiyu looked at those burning gazes, was silent for a second, then laughed lightly. The smile was faint, carrying a trace of "you guys" helplessness.

"Lee Tima."

He said.

The room was quiet for a second.

Then—

"Aigoo—!" Hyoyeon was the first to make a sound of disdain, her face crinkling up, "Isn't this just fooling us!"

Yuri rolled her eyes: "Tima? That's your sister!"

Sooyoung nodded vigorously: "That's right, how can a sister count!"

Tiffany shook her head with a curved eye-smile: "Zhiyu-ah, your answer is too cunning."

Sunny had an expression that said "Are you kidding me," hands on her hips: "Zhiyu! This is cheating! Tima is your sister, it doesn't count!"

Jiang Zhiyu retorted with a straight face: "Tima is an artist, after all." He paused, saying seriously, "Even though she's young, she's one hundred percent a female idol. Singing, dancing, variety shows, what can't she do?"

This statement was true. Although Lee Tima was young, as an artist under TG Entertainment, she certainly counted as a female idol. It's just... everyone knew Jiang Zhiyu was dodging the question.

Sunny narrowed her eyes, saying word by word: "Besides Lee Tima!"

Jiang Zhiyu looked at her "if you don't confess honestly I won't let you go" expression and laughed again. This time, the smile carried a hint of helplessness and compromise. "Kim Soo-yeon," he said.

The room went quiet again for a moment.

Kim Soo-yeon? The President of TG Entertainment, that young female entrepreneur known as the "Han River genius girl"? The woman who built the empire with Jiang Zhiyu and brought TG to where it is today?

This answer was much more reliable than Lee Tima. But—it was still a bit too "official."

Yuri was about to ask, when a voice suddenly exploded out.

"How is that possible!"

It was Im Yoona.

Her voice was urgent and loud, carrying an absurdity that said "What kind of joke are you making." Everyone's gaze turned to her instantly, and she froze, seemingly startled by her own voice.

Then she realized she had said the wrong thing.

But it was too late.

Her mind flashed through the scene from that night. In the car, Jiang Zhiyu's serious and trusting eyes when he told her the secret, that phrase "I trust Noona," and also—the secret he told her.

"Kim Soo-yeon's sexual orientation is bisexual with a preference for women."

"She likes your type, Noona."

That sentence had kept her from sleeping all night.

Tossing and turning in bed, her mind was full of that information. One moment thinking "Impossible, how could Chairwoman Kim like me," the next thinking "What if she really does like me," and then "Why did Jiang Zhiyu tell me this." The more she thought, the messier it got, and the messier it got, the more she thought.

When she was half-asleep, she even had a dream. In the dream, Kim Soo-yeon was wearing a sharp suit, standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling window of the TG President's office, with the sunlight gilding her back. She turned around, looking at Im Yoona, a faint, imperceptible smile on her lips.

"Yoona Noona," she said, her voice low and gentle, "do you know why I let Zhiyu tell you that secret?"

Im Yoona in the dream shook her head.

Kim Soo-yeon walked toward her, every step carrying an indescribable pressure. She walked to Im Yoona, reached out, and gently lifted Im Yoona's chin with her fingertips.

"Because I want you to know," she said, "my interest in you is not just professional."

Im Yoona's heart in the dream was beating like a drum.

Kim Soo-yeon leaned close to her, close enough to smell the crisp scent on her. "Yoona Noona," she whispered, "the way you look when you're shy is really cute."

Then she let go, turned back to the desk, took a document from the drawer, and pushed it to Im Yoona. "This is the sequel project for 'the crab'," she said, "if you're willing... we can discuss the cooperation conditions in depth."

Im Yoona in the dream opened the document. The first page had a few words: "Yoona's Room." Below was a line of small print—"Kim Soo-yeon personal project, not for public release."

"What is this?" Im Yoona asked in the dream.

Kim Soo-yeon smiled, a smile that seemed particularly meaningful in the dream. "A project that belongs only to the two of us."

Then she woke up.

Im Yoona lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling, her face as red as a cooked shrimp.

Shit! What kind of dream was this!

She turned over, burying her face in the pillow, but the images of that dream wouldn't go away. The sensation of Kim Soo-yeon lifting her chin, that "Yoona Noona," that meaningful smile—

"Ah shit—!" She screamed muffled into the pillow.

Even though it was a dream, even though it was just a dream, but—

Her face turned redder.

Then she thought, that Kim Soo-yeon in the dream, seemed... quite handsome?

No, no, no! Im Yoona, what are you thinking! You are straight! One hundred percent straight! A straight woman who has liked men since she was little!

She threw the pillow away, sat up from the bed, and took several deep breaths to calm herself down.

Then she made a decision: This dream, she could never tell anyone even if she died.

But now, the "How is that possible" that slipped out of her mouth was like a bomb, blowing her secret to pieces.

Everyone's gaze in the room was focused on Im Yoona.

"Chairwoman Kim doesn't like me..." Im Yoona said halfway, suddenly realizing what she was saying, and her hand instantly covered her mouth.

But those words had clearly reached everyone's ears.

The room was quiet for a second.

Two seconds.

Three seconds.

Then—

"Oh my—" Hyoyeon was the first to react, dragging out her voice, "Yoona seems to have said something incredible."

Yuri's eyes narrowed into slits, a meaningful smile on her lips: "Likes... huh? Who does Chairwoman Kim like? Yoona, who did you just say Chairwoman Kim likes?"

Sooyoung crossed her arms, leaning back into the chair, looking at Im Yoona with an expression that said "I heard everything, don't try to fool me": "Daebak, Yoona-ah, that 'Chairwoman Kim doesn't like me' you just said—this 'me', is it you yourself?"

Tiffany added a cut with her eye-smile: "Yoona-ah, you said 'doesn't like me', that means—Chairwoman Kim likes you? Or you think Chairwoman Kim likes you?"

Although Seohyun didn't speak, her eyes were strikingly bright, clearly saying: Unnie, you're done for.

Sunny had an expression that said "What a good day today," hands clasped together, almost thanking the heavens on the spot.

"Yoona-ah," her voice was sweet enough to drip honey, "what you just said has a lot of information."

Yuri had a hurt expression, clutching her chest, saying in a tone that said "You betrayed me": "Yoona, did you forget our YoonYul CP? Did you forget the days we walked together all those years? You actually—actually with Chairwoman Kim—"

"It's not like that!" Im Yoona waved her hands frantically, her face already red to the ears, "I didn't mean that! I meant—"

She couldn't continue.

Because everyone's eyes were fixed on her, burning with the fire of gossip, hot enough to roast someone. What could she say? Say "Jiang Zhiyu told me Kim Soo-yeon likes me"? Wouldn't that drag Jiang Zhiyu down with her? Say "I just had a dream"? Wouldn't that be even weirder? Say "I didn't say anything, you guys heard wrong"? Who would believe that!

Her gaze couldn't help but drift to the side—in that direction sat Jiang Zhiyu. He was holding a water cup, head down, drinking, his expression as calm as if nothing had happened.

Im Yoona gritted her teeth secretly: You disloyal bastard! You were the one who told me! Now it's fine, acting like nothing happened!

She kicked—aiming for Jiang Zhiyu's calf. Jiang Zhiyu's brow furrowed slightly from the kick, but he still didn't look up, just silently moved his chair a little to the side.

Im Yoona was even angrier. She kicked again. Jiang Zhiyu moved a little more. Kicked again. Moved a little more.

Seeing Jiang Zhiyu was about to move to the wall, Im Yoona finally stopped.

Disloyal! Truly disloyal! She cursed Jiang Zhiyu eight hundred times in her heart.

But cursing aside, the dilemma at hand had to be solved. She looked at Taeyeon beside her—Taeyeon was still dazed. She was holding a wine glass, eyes staring straight ahead, her mind still digesting the information just now.

Kim Soo-yeon likes Im Yoona?

That Han River genius girl, the President of TG Entertainment, the woman who built the empire with Jiang Zhiyu—likes Im Yoona?

Her mind was blank, completely unaware that Im Yoona was frantically kicking her calf under the table. Once, twice, three times—Taeyeon finally came back to her senses, looked down under the table, then looked up, meeting Im Yoona's pleading gaze.

She froze for a second, then finally reacted.

"Okay, okay," Taeyeon cleared her throat, trying to make her voice sound natural, "let's move on to the next round."

Sunny looked at Taeyeon, then at Im Yoona, the smile on her lips deepening. But she didn't press further, just nodded meaningfully. "Alright, since Taeyeon said so—"

She grabbed the bottle again, her gaze sweeping across the room. "Next round, I must spin it to someone more interesting."

Im Yoona breathed a sigh of relief, collapsing into her chair, feeling like her back was soaked. She glared at Jiang Zhiyu secretly—he finally looked up, looking at her, a hint of a smile on his lips.

Im Yoona said silently with her mouth: You just wait. Jiang Zhiyu raised his eyebrows, smiled silently, raised his water cup, and toasted her, as if toasting.

Im Yoona gritted her teeth in anger, but Taeyeon gently patted her hand beside her. "Are you okay?" Taeyeon asked softly.

Im Yoona nodded, but the heat on her face hadn't faded. She looked at Taeyeon's face, which was still full of confusion, and suddenly felt a bit guilty.

Unnie, if one day you find out that Jiang Zhiyu also told me your secret... will you look at me like this too?

She didn't dare to think.

Sunny had already spun the bottle, and the atmosphere in the room became lively again. Yuri was still pursuing the matter of Im Yoona and Kim Soo-yeon, but was pulled back by Hyoyeon—"Next round, next round, don't rush, there's plenty of time to ask slowly."

Im Yoona leaned on the back of the chair, watching the spinning bottle, her heart still pounding.

And Jiang Zhiyu, still holding his water cup, was calm, as if nothing had happened.

—

The bottle spun on the table.

Everyone's eyes were fixed on the rapidly spinning ghost image, their heartbeats rising and falling with the trajectory of the bottle neck. Sunny's posture in this round was more casual than before; she didn't even look at the bottle, just flicked it with her finger carelessly, then picked up her own wine glass and took a sip.

When the bottle neck stopped, it pointed at Jiang Zhiyu.

This time, the reaction in the room was more enthusiastic than before. Hyoyeon clapped first, Yuri joined in the jeers, Sooyoung whistled. Tiffany smiled until her eyes curved like crescent moons, Seohyun silently put down her chopsticks. Even Taeyeon lifted her head, her gaze sweeping between the bottle neck and Jiang Zhiyu, then quickly lowered her head, pretending to look at the empty cup in front of her.

There was a hint of success in Sunny's smile.

Jiang Zhiyu looked at her, not speaking immediately. His gaze turned between Sunny's fingers and the bottle, then a knowing arc curled slightly at the corner of his mouth.

He saw it. Sunny wasn't "bad luck" at all—her technique for spinning the bottle had a trick to it. The force, the angle, the way of rotation, all were carefully controlled, allowing the bottle neck to stop exactly where she wanted it every time. The first two times it turned to Taeyeon and to himself, it wasn't luck, it was skill.

But he didn't expose her. He just leaned back on the chair, arms crossed over his chest, looking at Sunny with ease, his expression as if to say: Come on, let me see what else you can ask.

Sunny cleared her throat, putting on a posture of using an ultimate move. She looked at Jiang Zhiyu, and spoke word by word: "Among all the female idols you have collaborated with, who do you like the most?"

She paused, and quickly added: "You can't say anyone from TG."

Once this supplementary condition was proposed, Hyoyeon immediately let out an "Oh," Yuri's eyes lit up, and the corners of Sooyoung's mouth curved even higher.

This condition eliminated both Lee Tima and Kim Soo-yeon as "guaranteed options," leaving Jiang Zhiyu with no way to brush things off by using his own people.

Tiffany rested her chin in her hands and said with a smile, "You can't dodge it this time, can you~"

Sunny lifted her chin triumphantly, her expression clearly saying: Let's see how you handle this one.

Jiang Zhiyu looked at her and sighed.

There was no helplessness in that sigh, only a sense of realization that said, "I knew you would do this."

"Sunny Noona," he said, his tone calm, "you're completely doing this on purpose, aren't you."

Sunny spread her hands with an innocent face, playing the part so realistically that if Jiang Zhiyu hadn't already seen through her tactic, he would have almost believed her.

"Pure luck!" she said, "Hurry up and answer! Otherwise—"

She deliberately dragged out her voice, her gaze sweeping across Jiang Zhiyu's face, "Should I name a few? SM's, JYP's, and also..."

She didn't finish her sentence, but that meaningful pause was enough for everyone present to hear the subtext.

Jiang Zhiyu remained silent for two seconds.

Then he smiled.

There was no nervousness or panic in that smile, only an unfathomable composure.

He slowly took his phone out of his pocket, the light from the screen reflecting on his face, making his smile look a bit more mysterious.

He tapped the screen a few times with his fingers, then placed the phone face down, gently setting it on the table.

The slight sound of the phone hitting the table was exceptionally clear in the quiet private room.

Everyone stared at the overturned phone, not knowing what tricks he was up to.

Jiang Zhiyu looked up at Sunny.

His gaze was calm, but the curve of his lips was meaningful.

"Sunny Noona," he said, his voice level, "I like Karina."

The private room went silent for a second.

Then—everyone was stunned.

Kim Taeyeon's hand holding her water glass froze in mid-air, the ice water inside sloshing slightly, with a few drops splashing onto the back of her hand, which she didn't even notice.

Her mouth was open, her eyes wide, the color draining from her fair face visibly, only for it to slowly rush back up from her neck, finally settling into an indescribably complex expression.

Something seemed to explode in her brain, buzzing, leaving only one voice frantically scrolling—What... he likes Karina?

Likes Karina?

Karina?

That leader of aespa, that fair and tender little girl, that child he had watched grow up since she was small?

Her heart felt like it had been pricked hard by something—not a sharp, intense pain, but a fine, dense, lingering, and indescribable bitterness.

That bitterness spread from her chest to her throat, making her want to say something, but she couldn't say anything at all.

She stared at Jiang Zhiyu's profile, at his nonchalant expression, the surging emotions in her heart nearly drowning her.

Im Yoona sat next to Kim Taeyeon, her expression equally complex.

She was stunned for a moment, then quickly lowered her head, her fingers unconsciously rubbing the rim of her wine glass.

The movement was light and slow, as if she were digesting information that was hard to swallow.

So it was like this.

She said silently in her heart, her voice so calm that even she felt surprised.

After all, who doesn't like young female idols?

Karina is so beautiful, so talented, and she's someone he watched grow up—how could that kind of affection just be a normal "sibling" relationship?

She remembered the look in Jiang Zhiyu's eyes when he looked at Karina on set that day.

There was appreciation, pride, patience, and a hint of something she couldn't quite describe.

At the time, she thought it was just a senior's care for a junior, but now that she thought about it—

She picked up her wine glass and took a sip.

The liquid slid down her throat, the spicy sensation making her a little more clear-headed.

But Karina is indeed a Noona.

When this thought popped up, she was stunned herself, then couldn't help but smile bitterly in her heart—Yoona, oh Yoona, what are you fussing about?

Age?

Seniority?

Or—something else?

Just then, Jiang Zhiyu's voice rang out again.

"And Jang Wonyoung."

Im Yoona's movements stopped.

Kim Taeyeon's water glass finally landed on the table with a soft "click."

The sound was exceptionally clear in the quiet private room, but she seemed completely unaware of it.

Everyone's face wore the same expression—a question mark.

And Jang Wonyoung?

Wasn't the question just "who do you like the most"?

How did he name two all of a sudden?

Sooyoung's eyebrows were raised high, Yuri's mouth was slightly agape, and Hyoyeon's eyes scanned Jiang Zhiyu's face back and forth, as if confirming whether he was joking.

Tiffany put away her smile and tilted her head to look at Jiang Zhiyu, her expression full of curiosity and confusion.

Seohyun silently put down her chopsticks, frowning slightly, as if thinking about something.

Sunny's expression was the most spectacular—her triumph froze on her face, the curve of her mouth stiffened, and her eyes were filled with "What are you doing?"

Im Yoona lowered her eyelashes, pulling a smile that even she felt was forced.

See.

Jang Wonyoung is even younger.

She said silently in her heart, her voice so calm it was almost cold.

Karina is from '02, Jang Wonyoung is from '04—each one is younger than the last.

She suddenly felt it was all very meaningless; that meaninglessness wasn't anger, nor was it disappointment, but a kind of indescribable weariness.

She picked up her wine glass and took another sip.

But Jiang Zhiyu wasn't done speaking.

He looked at Sunny, the smile on his lips deepening.

That smile carried a hint of cunning, a hint of playfulness, and a hint of calculation that only he knew about.

"Sunny Noona," he said, his tone as light as if he were talking about the weather, "do you like Karina or Jang Wonyoung?"

Sunny was stunned by his question.

The topic shifted too fast, and she couldn't react in time.

"Of course I like Karina," she blurted out, her tone matter-of-fact, "after all, she's a junior, and that child has been well-behaved since she was small, always smiling at people—so likable."

Only after she finished speaking did she realize something was wrong.

Jiang Zhiyu smiled.

That smile was gentle, innocent, and harmless—but as Sunny looked at it, a chill suddenly crept up her back.

He picked up the overturned phone from the table, faced it up, unlocked it, and opened an audio file.

Then he held the phone up, aiming the speaker at everyone.

A clear voice came from the phone—it was Jiang Zhiyu's voice: "Noona, do you like Karina or Jang Wonyoung?"

Then Sunny's voice rang out without hesitation: "Of course I like Karina."

Sunny's expression changed.

Because she realized—in that recording, Jiang Zhiyu had cut out her explanation.

Only the sentence "Of course I like Karina" remained.

Everything after "because" was gone.

Sunny's pupils contracted slightly.

She looked at Jiang Zhiyu's smiling face and suddenly realized she had fallen into a meticulously designed trap.

This man had planned it from the very beginning.

From the moment he took out his phone, from the moment he asked that question, and perhaps even earlier—from the moment he sat down in this private room, he knew what would happen.

Jiang Zhiyu put down the phone, his smile becoming even brighter.

Under the warm yellow light, that smile looked exceptionally—evil.

"So Sunny Noona thinks Ji-min is prettier," he said, his voice level, his pace unhurried, "It's the 'Five Girls One' issue. Yes, I understand."

Sunny's face froze.

Of course she knew what was being argued about online recently.

Karina's and Jang Wonyoung's fans were fighting bitterly over the "Five Girls One" title, and that madman "guardian of princess wonyoung" was fanning the flames, spreading the war across the entire Korean internet.

And at this critical juncture, as a member of Girls Generation, for her to personally say "I like Karina"—if that got out—her back went completely cold.

"Jiang Zhiyu!" her voice changed pitch, anxious and angry, "You schemed against me?!"

Jiang Zhiyu spread his hands innocently, playing the part even more realistically than Sunny had just done.

"Noona said it yourself," he said, his tone full of innocence, "I didn't force you. Oh my, group love, tsk tsk tsk—"

He shook his head and sighed, that sigh carrying a kind of regret that made one's teeth itch.

"It's just that I don't know if the fans will see it that way."

The private room was silent for a second.

Then— "Pfft—" Hyoyeon was the first to laugh out loud, her laughter loud and boisterous, shaking the table, "Sunny, you're done! You're done, I'm telling you!"

Yuri laughed so hard she slapped the table: "Your idol career is over! Completely over!"

Sooyoung laughed until tears came out: "Sunny, remember to wear a hat when you go out in the future, otherwise you'll get hit with eggs by Jang Wonyoung's fans!"

Tiffany laughed so hard she couldn't straighten up, clutching her stomach with both hands, her voice trembling: "It's over, it's over, Sunny's solo album is going to be ruined."

Although Seohyun didn't laugh out loud, she couldn't keep the corners of her mouth from curving up, her shoulders shaking slightly.

Kim Taeyeon also laughed, her smile carrying a hint of relief—so it was just a joke, he didn't really like Karina.

But she stopped halfway through her laugh because she suddenly thought of a question: If it wasn't true, why would he say it?

Her heart hung in the air again.

Im Yoona also laughed, but her smile carried an indescribable emotion.

Karina?

She silently repeated the name in her heart.

Jiang Zhiyu, are you joking while telling the truth, or telling the truth while joking?

Sunny looked at these gloating teammates, gritting her teeth.

She turned sharply to Jiang Zhiyu, her eyes fierce as if she wanted to swallow him alive: "How can I get it deleted?"

Jiang Zhiyu tilted his head and thought about it.

Then he smiled—that smile made Sunny's back even colder.

"Noona," he said, his voice as soft as if he were coaxing a child, "are you brave?"

Sunny was stunned for a moment.

"Of course!" she blurted out, completely unaware that she was jumping into another trap.

Jiang Zhiyu's smile deepened.

He stood up, put his phone in his pocket, and walked toward the door.

"I'm going out for a moment," he said, his hand already on the doorknob, "I'll be right back."

The door opened and then closed.

His figure disappeared into the hallway.

The private room was quiet for a moment.

Then Hyoyeon spoke up eerily: "Sunny, I feel like you're going to be played to death by Jiang Zhiyu."

Yuri nodded in agreement: "That smile he had just now was like a devil's."

Sooyoung gloated: "Who told you to scheme against him first? This is called reaping what you sow."

Tiffany shook her head while laughing: "Sunny, you're done, you're really done."

Sunny's face alternated between red and white.

She opened her mouth to retort, but found she couldn't say a single word.

Because they were right.

She really felt like she was going to be played to death.

Kim Taeyeon sat in the corner, looking at the door where Jiang Zhiyu had disappeared, her heart in a chaotic mess.

It was just a joke, she told herself, but—was it true?

Was the sentence "I like Karina" really a joke, or was he telling the truth under the guise of a joke?

Karina's face appeared in her mind—fair and tender, smiling like a little puppy, bowing to everyone she met, so well-behaved it made one's heart ache.

When Jiang Zhiyu looked at her, his eyes were indeed very gentle.

Kim Taeyeon picked up her water glass and took a sip.

The ice water wasn't as cold anymore; it was lukewarm, like her indescribable mood at this moment.

Im Yoona was also silent.

She looked at the wine glass in front of her, the scene from just now replaying in her mind.

Karina?

She remembered the look in Jiang Zhiyu's eyes when he looked at Karina on set that day—gentle, focused, patient.

She had seen that look before.

In the training camp, when he looked at her, he had a similar gaze.

But it was different.

She couldn't say where it was different, but it just was.

Her fingers slowly slid along the rim of the wine glass, one circle, then another.

Outside the window, the night was deep.

In the hallway, Jiang Zhiyu walked to the service counter.

The warm yellow light shone on his face, making his expression look much softer.

"Please give me a pen and a few sheets of paper, would you?" he said to the server, his voice gentle, carrying a hint of a smile.

The server was stunned for a moment, then nodded quickly: "Okay, please wait a moment."

As she turned to get the paper and pen, she couldn't help but sneak a peek at Jiang Zhiyu.

This man is really handsome, she thought to herself, and that smile—it always feels a bit wicked.

Jiang Zhiyu took the paper and pen, nodded at the server: "Thank you."

He turned and walked toward the private room, holding the sheets of white paper and a pen in his hand.

The hallway light cast a long shadow behind him, his pace unhurried, his demeanor as composed as if he were taking a walk in his own backyard.

His mind had already conjured up the expression on Sunny's face when she saw those papers.

It would surely be very interesting.

He pushed the door open and walked into the private room.

Everyone's eyes fell on the paper and pen in his hand.

Sunny looked at him, alarm bells ringing in her heart.

"What are you going to do?" her voice carried a hint of wariness.

Jiang Zhiyu didn't answer, just smiled and sat down at the table.

He placed the paper and pen on the table, then looked up at Sunny.

That gaze carried a gentleness that sent shivers down one's spine.

"Noona," he said, "let's play a game."

The atmosphere in the private room was as subtle as a string stretched to its limit.

Sunny looked at those sheets of white paper and suddenly had a very, very bad premonition.