394: Chapter 452 Phantom Thief Zhimin (18)

Early morning in Seoul, sunlight streamed through the studio's skylights, spreading a warm glow across the gray concrete floor.

The second day of the short drama filming proceeded as scheduled.

Karina arrived half an hour earlier than the appointed time. She sat before the vanity mirror while the makeup artist applied her base. The person in the mirror had skin as white as a peeled egg and features as exquisite as a painting, causing even the makeup artist to sigh in admiration, "Ji-min's skin is truly too good; there's hardly any need for concealer."

Karina gave a polite smile. "Thank you, Unnie."

However, her gaze drifted toward the door from time to time.

That person hadn't arrived yet.

She withdrew her gaze and looked at herself in the mirror, feeling inexplicably nervous. Today was the second day of filming, and the plot was more complex than yesterday's, involving some chase scenes and emotional acting. After going home yesterday, she had reviewed the script repeatedly, committing every line and every expression to memory.

She didn't want any NGs.

She didn't want to disappoint him.

The makeup artist was drawing her eyeliner, and Karina tilted her head slightly to cooperate. Just then, the door to the dressing room was pushed open.

A crisp scent of herbal medicine wafted in before the figure appeared.

Karina's gaze instinctively turned toward the mirror—in the reflection, she saw Jiang Zhiyu walk in.

He was wearing a simple white shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing the smooth lines of his forearms. His hair was slightly messy, looking as if he had just woken up and hadn't had time to style it yet.

The most ridiculous part was—

He was holding a cob of corn in his hand, munching on it with great relish.

The corner of Karina's mouth twitched.

But her attention was quickly drawn to something else—his face. The morning light shone from behind him, plating his silhouette with a soft golden edge. His features appeared exceptionally three-dimensional in the light and shadow, with a high bridge of the nose and a sharp jawline, and those clear eyes held the laziness of someone who had just woken up.

Looking at that face in the mirror, Karina's heart skipped a beat.

And at that moment, Jiang Zhiyu saw her too.

He stood at the door, the corn in his hand frozen at his lips, his entire person stunned as if a freezing spell had been cast on him.

Those eyes widened slightly, and his gaze lingered on her face for three seconds.

Then, he spoke in a tone so exaggerated it was ridiculous—

"Wow!"

That "Wow" was so loud and clear that it startled both Karina and the makeup artist.

"Who is this!"

Jiang Zhiyu strode in, the expression on his face as if he had discovered some rare treasure.

"How can someone be this beautiful—"

He paused, took a bite of corn, and continued while chewing:

"And look exactly like the legendary brilliant, lively and cute, wise and brave, double-A in singing and dancing, the strongest ACE in the current k-entertainment, winner of multiple luxury brand endorsements, popular across Southeast Asia, China, Japan, and Korea, the leader of SM's current main girl group, the secret weapon hidden by SM for years who shocked everyone upon debut—aespa's leader Karina, Liu Ji-min?!"

He delivered this long string of words smoothly without even pausing for breath, then took another bite of corn afterward, looking at her as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

The dressing room fell silent for a full three seconds.

The makeup artist froze in place with the eyeliner pen in hand, mouth slightly agape, her face written with the words 'What did I just hear?'

The staff member organizing costumes nearby stopped their movements and turned around, eyes full of shock and suppressed laughter.

A floor manager passing by the door poked their head in, took a look, and silently retreated.

Karina's face began to turn red, starting from the tips of her ears.

She gritted her teeth, trying to maintain a calm expression, but the blush ignored her completely, spreading all the way to her cheeks and neck until she felt as if she were being roasted over a fire.

"Oppa..."

Her voice squeezed out through her teeth.

"Even though everything you said is correct—"

She took a deep breath and then said in a 'I'm going to kill you' tone:

"Could you please not say it to me while eating corn!!!"

The makeup artist finally couldn't hold it in and let out a "pfft" of laughter, but immediately covered her mouth, pretending to look for tools.

Seeing her looking both embarrassed and annoyed, Jiang Zhiyu's eyes crinkled with laughter.

He took another bite of corn, chewed, and said indistinctly, "What's wrong? Everything I said is a fact."

Karina glared at him, wanting to retort, but she couldn't say a single word.

Because—everything he said, though exaggerated, was indeed... the truth.

Brilliant? I guess so.

Lively and cute? Well... sometimes.

Wise and brave? That was a bit much, but she certainly wasn't stupid.

Double-A in singing and dancing? She accepted that; as aespa's main dancer and lead vocalist, who would dare say otherwise?

Strongest ACE? That's what the fans said, not her.

Luxury brand endorsements? Yes, she definitely had those.

Popular across Southeast Asia, China, Japan, and Korea? The data was right there; she couldn't help it.

SM's main girl group leader? That was the company's decision.

Hidden for years and shocking everyone upon debut? She really hadn't been made public much during her trainee days, and the buzz during her debut was indeed high...

Shibal.

She thought it through and realized everything he said was actually a fact.

Karina became even more annoyed.

She gritted her teeth, trying to shift her attention away from the fact that "he just praised her with a long list." But in her heart, a little person had already begun to float uncontrollably.

In the future, could one more title be added to these names...

Aiya!

What am I thinking!!!

Her face instantly turned even redder, looking as if it were about to drip blood.

She abruptly lowered her head, pretending to look at the foundation on the vanity, her heart beating so fast it felt like it would jump out of her chest.

Jiang Zhiyu didn't notice her abnormality. He had finished the corn, tossed the cob into the trash can, and then casually walked over to sit on the nearby sofa.

He crossed his legs, his posture as relaxed as if he were in his own living room.

"Have you had breakfast?" he asked, his tone as natural as if he were talking about the weather. "This is fruit corn; it's super sweet."

He paused, his gaze falling on her, the corners of his mouth turning up slightly.

"Ji-min, you're super sweet too~"

Karina's heart skipped another beat.

Keeping her head down and gritting her teeth, she tried to make her voice sound a bit more normal:

"Oppa, can you please speak properly..."

Jiang Zhiyu laughed, a hint of mischief in his smile.

"Am I not speaking properly?"

He shifted into a more comfortable position and continued:

"When we film later, you not only need to be sweet but also have a sort of little devil vibe—the kind of scatterbrain who causes trouble while trying to help."

Karina looked up and watched him through the mirror.

He sat on the sofa, sunlight from the window casting warm shadows on his profile. He was looking at her with an expression that said 'I'm seriously explaining the scene to you,' his eyes full of focus.

The bit of anger in Karina's heart was somehow extinguished.

She pursed her lips, about to say "Oppa, you'll get beaten by fans if you say that," or "Oppa, can you be serious for once"—but before the words could come out, she saw Jiang Zhiyu stand up.

He walked over to the makeup artist and leaned in.

Karina was stunned.

The makeup artist was also stunned.

Jiang Zhiyu pulled a cob of corn out of his pocket—Karina didn't even know how he could fit a corn cob in his pocket—and handed it to the makeup artist.

"Unnie, have you tried this?" he asked, his tone enthusiastic like a salesman.

The makeup artist took the corn with a look of confusion. "No... what is this?"

"TG Investment Department's latest project!" Jiang Zhiyu's eyes lit up. "One hundred percent natural, pollution-free fruit corn, shipped fresh from China."

The corner of Karina's mouth began to twitch.

"I'm telling you," Jiang Zhiyu had already pulled out his phone, opened a page, and held it up to the makeup artist. "This is a plot of land our investment department leased in China, about fifty mu, specifically for growing various high-end ingredients. From sowing seeds to flowering and fruiting, there are monitoring records for the entire process. Look—"

He pointed at a video on the screen, his tone becoming more and more excited.

"This is sowing, this is sprouting, this is pollination, and this is harvesting—every step is recorded. It's all-natural, pollution-free, and absolutely no chemical fertilizers are used."

The makeup artist's eyes grew wider as she watched the screen.

"This corn is sweet and waxy, full of moisture, and has high nutritional value—" Jiang Zhiyu continued. "Right now, it's only three thousand won each! First come, first served! Once it's gone, it's gone!"

The makeup artist hesitated. "CEO, are you..."

Jiang Zhiyu waved his hand with a 'no big deal' expression. "A while ago, the TG Investment Department went to China for an inspection and leased a plot of land. It was originally intended for internal use, but TG has few people, and the surplus ingredients couldn't be sold in China, so I just had them sent directly through customs."

He paused and lowered his voice, saying in a 'this is our little secret' tone:

"Although the Department of Agriculture doesn't allow private sales, as long as everyone keeps it quiet, it's fine."

The makeup artist's eyes instantly lit up.

"Three thousand won each?"

"Yes! Three thousand won!"

"I want five!"

"Five? Unnie, how many people are in your family?"

"Three, but I want to bring some for my parents' house too..."

"Then ten! I'll pack ten for you!"

Sitting before the vanity mirror, Karina watched Jiang Zhiyu and the makeup artist heatedly discuss the corn ordering plan, and she felt completely out of sorts.

[part:gemini-3.1-flash-lite]

Her makeup was only half done!

She had only finished one eyeliner!

Her eyebrows hadn't been drawn yet!

And her foundation was still unfinished!

Meanwhile, her makeup artist was busy transferring money to Jiang Zhiyu on her phone, looking excited as if she had "struck gold today."

"Unnie—"

Karina's voice squeezed out through gritted teeth, filled with the despair of someone "about to lose it."

"Could you please finish my makeup before you go order more corn?"

The makeup artist froze for a second, let out an "Ah," and hurriedly put down the corn to pick up the eyeliner.

"Sorry, sorry! Ji-min, close your eyes!"

Karina closed her eyes, but she could still hear Jiang Zhiyu's voice.

He was already busy making a sales pitch to the stylist nearby.

"Unnie, you have to try this corn, it's super sweet..."

Karina took a deep breath.

Then another.

Inside the makeup room, the sounds of Jiang Zhiyu's sales pitches, the staff's inquiries, and the pings of money transfers rose and fell in a chaotic chorus.

Karina sat there with her eyes closed, only one thought running through her mind:

This brat.

What exactly is his role on set? Director? Producer? Or... a corn salesman?

A dozen minutes later, Karina's makeup was finally finished.

She opened her eyes and looked at her reflection in the mirror.

The makeup artist was truly skilled—the eyeliner accentuated her already exquisite eye shape, making her fox-like eyes even more alluring. The base makeup was clear and natural, looking like flawless, bare skin. The lip color was a soft bean-paste shade, subtle yet carrying a hint of elusive temptation.

The highlight was the hairstyle—instead of wearing the Phantom Thief's top hat today, her long hair was tied into a high ponytail, revealing her smooth forehead and delicate ears. A few loose strands hung by her ears, swaying gently with the breeze, adding a touch of liveliness to her look.

She wore that deep purple trench coat over a black bodysuit, paired with knee-high black boots.

Standing there, she possessed a blend of youthful purity and the mystery of a phantom thief, along with an indescribable charm that made it impossible to look away.

She looked at herself in the mirror and nodded in satisfaction.

Then, her gaze drifted to the side—

Jiang Zhiyu was leaning on the sofa, holding a new ear of corn—heaven knows where he pulled another one from—and munching on it happily.

On the small table next to him, a stack of cash and a pile of sticky notes with order quantities were already piling up.

He didn't look like he was here to work at all.

Karina took a deep breath.

"Oppa."

Jiang Zhiyu looked up, and the moment he saw her, his movements froze again.

He looked her up and down, and then—

"Wow."

This time, there was no long-winded speech, just a single "Wow."

But that one "Wow" felt more sincere than the long string of words from before.

Karina's face flushed slightly.

"Is it okay?" she asked. "Can we start filming?"

Jiang Zhiyu nodded, put down the corn, and stood up.

He walked over to her, circled around her, and looked her up and down.

Karina felt uncomfortable under his gaze, and her ears began to burn again.

"W-what is it?"

Jiang Zhiyu stopped and nodded in satisfaction.

"Not bad."

His tone returned to that of a serious director.

"This look is great. When we film in a moment, keep this feeling—confident, lively, with a touch of pride. You are a phantom thief; you know you are amazing, so you don't need to be nervous. The more relaxed you are, the better the result."

Karina nodded, taking every word he said to heart.

Jiang Zhiyu finished speaking and turned around, ready to set up the scene.

But just then, he suddenly turned back and looked around.

The staff were all busy with their own tasks—some were adjusting the lights, some were checking props, others were moving equipment. No one noticed them.

He leaned in close to Karina.

Very close.

Close enough for her to smell the cool, herbal scent on him, close enough to feel the warmth of his breath.

Karina's ears went numb instantly, a jolt of electricity shooting from the tips of her ears down to her spine, giving her goosebumps all over.

Before she could dodge, before she could even blush—

Jiang Zhiyu's voice rang in her ear.

"Ji-min."

The voice was soft, laced with a hint of amusement.

Karina froze completely.

"Now I think—"

He paused, his voice dropping lower, as soft as if he were sharing a secret.

"You are Pig 51."

Karina's heart skipped a beat.

"Prettier than Wonyoung."

He stood up straight, looking at her with the corners of his mouth slightly lifted.

"Jiang Zhiyu certified."

He held up a thumb in a thumbs-up.

"Nice~"

Karina's face turned red instantly.

But not from shyness.

It was from anger.

Pig 51.

Prettier than Wonyoung.

These words were like a key, unlocking the valve in her mind that had been suppressed for days.

The online flame wars, the comments, the trending searches—they all flooded back at once.

She remembered the posts made by "guardian of princess wonyoung"—

"Plastic face, mantis woman, Pig 51."

"Pig 51 is obviously for Jang Wonyoung."

"Karina's fans, stop riding the coattails."

She remembered the foul comments in the sections, the mocking memes, the late nights spent enduring personal attacks.

She remembered the company's attitude—ignoring it, giving it the cold shoulder, letting the heat dissipate on its own.

She remembered the pressure behind that attention, the anxiety behind the scrutiny, the vicious fighting behind the title of "Pig 51."

Who caused all of this?

Who incited it?

Her gaze fell on Jiang Zhiyu's face.

That face was still wearing that "I'm just teasing you" smile.

Damn it.

Something in Karina's brain "snapped."

Jiang Zhiyu, how dare you say such things in front of me?

Do you think I don't know?

She took a deep breath, trying hard to keep her expression calm.

But inside, her heart was in turmoil.

Those two accounts—"guardian of princess wonyoung" and "Liu Zhimins Little Strawberry"—she had felt something was off about them from day one.

guardian of princess wonyoung cursed everyone in the Korean entertainment industry, except for praising Jang Wonyoung.

Liu Zhimins Little Strawberry fought desperately to protect her, with off-the-charts combativeness.

The two accounts, one black and one white, singing in harmony, had turned the entire Korean internet upside down.

And these two accounts—

Karina remembered the fan at the video fansign meeting who went by the ID "Liu Zhimins Little Strawberry."

She had makeup on and wore a wig, but those brows, those contours, that look of "I've known you for a long time"—

It was clearly Jiang Zhiyu's female assistant, Unnie Song Shuxiu!

She had felt she looked familiar at the time, and later, after repeatedly watching the recording of the fansign, the more she watched, the more certain she became.

Unnie Song Shuxiu was Jiang Zhiyu's person, part of TG.

So "Liu Zhimins Little Strawberry" was Jiang Zhiyu's person.

What about "guardian of princess wonyoung"?

She didn't dare to think about it, but the answer was already screaming at her.

Damn it!

There must be something fishy about these two accounts!

Maybe they belonged to the same person!

Maybe, it was—

She looked at the handsome face in front of her—the kind that made one want to punch it—and gritted her teeth until they made a clicking sound.

This brat.

He was the one who cursed her, and he was the one who praised her.

He was the one who pushed her into the spotlight, and he was the one secretly giving her resources and coverage behind the scenes.

What on earth was he trying to do?!

Karina took a deep breath, then another.

She looked up and glanced around.

The staff were still busy; no one noticed them.

She pursed her lips, and then—

She smiled.

It was a smile as sweet as honey.

"Oppa."

Her voice was also sweet, so sweet that Jiang Zhiyu was slightly taken aback.

"I suddenly have some things I want to talk to you about."

She stood up and adjusted the collar of her trench coat.

"Shall we find a place to chat alone?"

Jiang Zhiyu looked at her, seemingly unaware of anything amiss.

He nodded: "Sure."

Karina walked toward the door first.

Her steps were light and quick, the hem of her trench coat swaying gently with her movements.

From behind, she looked like an obedient junior leading the way for her senior.

But if anyone could see her face—

There was a fire burning in her eyes.

Jiang Zhiyu followed behind, his pace leisurely.

He looked at her slender back, at the section of fair neck exposed beneath her high ponytail, and the corners of his mouth lifted slightly.

This girl, seems to be in a good mood today?

Thinking this, he followed her out of the makeup room.

The two of them walked out of the set, one after the other.

The staff were all busy with their own work, and no one noticed this scene.

In the hallway, Karina walked in front, and Jiang Zhiyu followed behind.

She walked at a steady pace, keeping exactly half a step of distance from him.

Her back looked calm, even leisurely.

But if anyone could see her face, they would discover—

Her lips were pursed tightly.

Her fists were clenched tight.

In her eyes, a fire was burning.

Damn Jiang Zhiyu.

She silently repeated the name in her heart, word by word, as if to carve them into her soul.

Damn Jiang Zhiyu.

Just you wait.

Today, I must get to the bottom of this.