403: Chapter 458 Phantom Thief Zhimin (24)

In aespa's practice room, sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, spreading a warm glow across the floor.

When Jiang Zhiyu pushed open the door carrying two large bags of bread, a figure sprang up from the floor like it was spring-loaded.

"Oppa!!!"

Kim Minjeong's voice was sharp and bright, and she lunged forward like a puppy seeing its owner.

Before Jiang Zhiyu could react, the bags of bread were snatched from his hands.

Kim Minjeong hugged the two large paper bags, her eyes shining like lightbulbs, radiating a sense of entitlement that said, "I'm the best and cutest, so all the bread is mine."

"Oppa, you're the best!!" she said as she walked further in. "Let me see... bagels, muffins, Danish pastries... Wow! They're all my favorites!"

She had already pulled out a plain bagel and took a large bite.

Jiang Zhiyu was amused by her food-guarding behavior and reached out to ruffle her head. Kim Minjeong's hair was soft and felt great to touch, so he couldn't help but ruffle it a few more times.

"Eat slowly, no one's going to steal it from you."

Then he looked up at the other two people in the practice room.

NingNing was sitting cross-legged on the floor, holding a water bottle. Seeing Jiang Zhiyu enter, she waved with a smile: "Hello, Master!"

Uchinaga Eri leaned against the wall and nodded slightly: "Hello, Oppa."

Jiang Zhiyu replied with a smile: "Ningning, Eri, hello."

The atmosphere in the practice room was peaceful.

Except for one person, standing in the corner with her arms crossed, staring at Jiang Zhiyu with an intensely resentful gaze.

Karina.

From the moment she stepped out of the elevator until now, her gaze hadn't changed.

It wasn't anger, nor was it happiness; it was a kind of... resentment.

The kind of resentment that said, "How could you do this to me," "I'll remember this," and "Just you wait."

Like a bullied kitten—angry and aggrieved, yet helpless against the person bullying her.

Jiang Zhiyu pretended not to notice and turned toward Kim Minjeong, who was now sitting on the floor with her cheeks puffed out like a hamster.

As Kim Minjeong chewed, she suddenly realized the atmosphere was a bit off. She looked up, her gaze shifting between Jiang Zhiyu and Karina.

"Oppa," she asked indistinctly, "what's wrong with Ji-min Unnie?"

Jiang Zhiyu gave a dry cough: "Nothing's wrong."

Karina let out a snort. It wasn't loud, but the meaning was clear—Nothing's wrong? Don't you have any self-awareness?

Jiang Zhiyu decided to change the subject. He looked at Kim Minjeong's gluttonous appearance and cleared his throat.

"Minjeong, I have something to tell everyone. Slow down on the eating for a moment."

Kim Minjeong's movements paused. She looked at Jiang Zhiyu's expression—though he was smiling, his eyes were serious. She nodded obediently, placed the remaining half of her bagel on the edge of the paper bag, and sat down cross-legged on the floor. Resting her hands on her knees, she tilted her head up and looked at him with bright, wide eyes.

She looked exactly like a puppy waiting for its master's command.

Jiang Zhiyu felt like laughing at the sight of her but held it in. He cleared his throat and looked around at the four people in the practice room.

"Everyone knows," he began, choosing his words carefully, "about the online stuff between Ji-min and Wonyoung..."

Before he could finish, Kim Minjeong raised her hand high, like an elementary student eager to answer a question in class.

"I know! The top five girls War!"

Her voice was crisp and loud, her face full of the pride of "knowing everything."

Jiang Zhiyu nodded.

Karina looked at Kim Minjeong's smug expression—her head held high, the corners of her mouth nearly reaching her ears—and gritted her teeth, her cheeks puffing slightly.

That battle for the "top five girls" title had kept her on the trending searches for three whole days, subjected her to three days of insults, and three days of being compared to Jang Wonyoung. And now, the instigator of that flame war was standing right in front of her, while her teammate was as excited as a puppy that had found a new toy.

She glanced at Kim Minjeong.

Kim Minjeong was looking up with a face full of pride, like an honor student who had answered the teacher's question correctly.

Karina's teeth clenched tighter.

This little puppy—so what if you know, why are you so smug?

Jiang Zhiyu straightened his clothes as if preparing to deliver an important speech. A subtle expression crossed his face—a sense of glory, a mischievous smirk, and a hint of pride that said "I'm about to drop a bombshell."

He raised an eyebrow and looked at the three of them.

"Actually—"

He intentionally dragged out his voice.

"I am 'guardian of princess wonyoung'."

The practice room went silent for a second.

And then—

"Huh???"

NingNing's mouth formed an 'O' shape, her eyes wide and round.

Uchinaga Eri, who had been leaning against the wall, suddenly straightened up, her expression shifting from lazy to shocked.

Kim Minjeong, sitting cross-legged on the floor, was still in her bagel-munching pose, completely petrified.

Karina—Karina closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She already knew, but hearing him say it out loud still brought a sense of "as expected" helplessness.

"And—"

Jiang Zhiyu continued, his voice carrying a hint of pride.

"'Zhimins Little Strawberry' is also me."

The practice room went completely silent.

Kim Minjeong's bagel finally fell to the floor.

NingNing's mouth opened even wider, enough to fit an egg.

Uchinaga Eri slowly raised her hand, like asking a question in class: "Oppa... are you saying that the lunatic who insulted the entire Korean entertainment industry, the founder of 'Pig 51' who made Ji-min Unnie suffer social death, the 'guardian of princess wonyoung' who set the whole internet ablaze... is you?"

Jiang Zhiyu nodded: "Yes."

"And that 'Zhimins Little Strawberry'?" Uchinaga Eri asked again. "The account that argued with anti-fans in the super-topic for three days and nights, with explosive combat power, known by Ji-min's fans as 'General Strawberry'... that was also you?"

Jiang Zhiyu nodded again: "Yes."

Uchinaga Eri was silent for three seconds, then silently turned around to face the wall.

"I need to calm down."

Kim Minjeong was stunned for three seconds, then suddenly turned toward Karina, her eyes shining as if she had discovered a new continent.

"Ji-min Unnie! Your biggest anti-fan and your biggest true fan are the same person! And it's Oppa!"

Karina's face had turned red all the way to her ears.

She gritted her teeth, squeezing the words out one by one: "I know."

Kim Minjeong turned back to Jiang Zhiyu, her urgent gaze like an abandoned puppy suddenly seeing its owner.

"Oppa! What about me?!"

Her voice was urgent and loud, filled with anticipation.

"Are you my big fan too?!"

That look, like a puppy waiting for its owner to say "I like you best," was sparkling and full of hope.

Jiang Zhiyu felt a bit awkward looking at her expectant gaze.

"Uh..."

He hesitated for a moment.

Kim Minjeong's expectation visibly shattered into pieces.

Shifting from expectation to disappointment, and from disappointment to feeling aggrieved, those sparkling eyes looked as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over them.

She pouted and looked at Jiang Zhiyu without speaking, but that gaze was more lethal than any words, as if saying: Oppa, how could you be like this?

Seeing her "so Oppa doesn't have me in his heart" aggrieved look, Jiang Zhiyu coughed and quickly said, "I'll create an account for you right now, Minjeong! Immediately! Right away!"

Kim Minjeong looked at him and was silent for a second.

Then she sighed, her tone sounding more mature than her age.

"Oppa... late compensation lacks sincerity."

But in the next second, she smiled again and patted the bread bag beside her.

"However—" she changed her tune, revealing that bright smile again, "since you bought bread this time, I'll forgive you! Hmph!"

That "Hmph" carried a hint of pride that said, "See how generous I am."

Jiang Zhiyu couldn't help but laugh at her "magnanimous woman" act. He reached out and ruffled her head again.

"Thank you for your great kindness, Minjeong."

Kim Minjeong squinted her eyes as he ruffled her hair, muttering "don't mess up my hair," but she had no intention of dodging.

NingNing watched this scene and clicked her tongue twice.

"Master, you're being too biased. Buying bread for Minjeong Unnie, being the head anti-fan for Ji-min Unnie, what about me? I have nothing."

Jiang Zhiyu looked at her: "What do you want?"

NingNing thought for a moment and said seriously: "I want you to be my biggest head anti-fan, that way I can become famous."

Jiang Zhiyu: "..."

Uchinaga Eri added lazily from the side: "NingNing, the fact that you said that means you're already famous."

A burst of laughter rang out in the practice room.

NingNing looked at Jiang Zhiyu, blinked, and then slowly spoke:

"Master..."

Jiang Zhiyu looked at her.

NingNing's expression was very serious, as if she were contemplating a profound philosophical question.

"You don't have a split personality, do you?"

Jiang Zhiyu: "..."

Kim Minjeong immediately chimed in with a certain tone:

"Schizophrenia!"

There was no malice in her tone; instead, it carried the excitement of "I've finally found the answer."

Jiang Zhiyu was amused by their words and shook his head helplessly.

"I don't."

His voice was very calm.

But Karina looked up at him with a very serious expression.

"No, you do."

Jiang Zhiyu turned his head to look at her.

Karina was looking at him too, her gaze devoid of blame or anger, only a gravity that said "I am seriously considering this issue."

"Oppa," she said, "are you really not planning to go to the hospital for a check-up?"

Jiang Zhiyu narrowed his eyes, studying her.

Her expression was as serious as if she were saying "the weather is nice today."

He smiled, a hint of playfulness in his grin.

"Why? Does Ji-min have any doctor friends she knows?"

Karina shook her head and answered bluntly: "I don't."

Jiang Zhiyu raised an eyebrow: "I do."

NingNing exclaimed from the side: "Master, you really do have mental problems!"

Jiang Zhiyu turned to look at NingNing's face, which was written all over with "I guessed it."

"NingNing," his voice was very gentle, "please stop talking."

NingNing stuck out her tongue and shrunk her neck, but she still had a smile on her face.

Jiang Zhiyu looked back at Karina, the smile on his lips deepening.

"If I go for a check-up," he said slowly, "I hope my attending physician is—"

He paused.

"SM Entertainment's aespa leader, Karina."

Karina rolled her eyes.

"Oppa," she said in a tone as calm as a weather report, "if you're being serious, I really will cause a medical malpractice incident."

Jiang Zhiyu looked into her serious eyes and at her slightly pursed lips—

Looking at her "dare to come and I'll dare to treat you" expression, Jiang Zhiyu suddenly felt a bit guilty. He remembered the strength she had when she lunged forward to choke him outside the film set last time—

This girl seemed to be for real.

He quickly clapped his hands to move past the topic.

"Alright, alright, the reason I revealed my identity, besides explaining and clarifying things to everyone, is that I also want to play a game with you all."

Uchinaga Eri's faint voice came from the wall: "Oppa, you're just scared..."

Jiang Zhiyu didn't answer.

Silence was admission.

Kim Minjeong, NingNing, and Uchinaga Eri exchanged a look and then laughed simultaneously. Kim Minjeong covered her mouth, NingNing laughed while slapping the floor, and Uchinaga Eri leaned against the wall with her shoulders shaking.

Jiang Zhiyu pretended not to see and continued.

"The game—"

He intentionally dragged out his voice until the three of them quieted down before continuing.

"Yes, a game."

He took the breads out of the paper bags and arranged them neatly in the center of the practice room floor. Plain bagels, chocolate muffins, Cream Cheese Danish pastries, Strawberry Danish pastries, matcha cream puffs, pavlova... a dazzling array, filled with fragrance.

"Now, everyone please choose your favorite bread from the bags."

The four of them did as told.

Kim Minjeong unhesitatingly took a plain bagel. NingNing chose a chocolate muffin, and Uchinaga Eri took a Cream Cheese Danish. Karina hesitated for a moment before taking a Strawberry Danish.

Jiang Zhiyu nodded with satisfaction.

Then he pulled out his phone and placed it in front of them.

"Everyone, look closely—"

He tapped on a page.

The homepage for the 'guardian of princess wonyoung' account appeared on the screen; its follower count had surpassed five million, and the comment section of the latest post was being flooded frantically.

He tapped on another page.

The homepage for the 'Zhimins Little Strawberry' account also had over three million followers, with the latest post from yesterday saying "Our Ji-min is the best."

A chorus of exclamations rang out in the practice room.

Kim Minjeong leaned in to look, her eyes wide and round: "Wow... Oppa, the followers of these two accounts combined are more than our official aespa account..."

NingNing also leaned over: "Master, are you a CEO or a professional anti-fan..."

Uchinaga Eri silently raised her phone: "I've already followed you."

Karina gritted her teeth and couldn't help but reach out to grab it.

"Delete it for me!"

Jiang Zhiyu nimbly dodged, holding the phone high.

"Don't be in a rush, the game hasn't even started yet!"

Karina glared at him, but since she couldn't reach the phone, she could only withdraw her hand huffily.

Jiang Zhiyu cleared his throat and began to announce the rules of the game.

"From now on, we're going to play Rock-Paper-Scissors. The loser—"

He paused, a mischievous smirk curving his lips.

"Will not only have to use the 'guardian of princess wonyoung' account to send an anti-fan hate message, but also tear off a piece of bread."

Kim Minjeong raised her hand: "Tear the bread in our own hands?"

"Yes," Jiang Zhiyu nodded. "Tear off a piece and either eat it or put it aside. Either way—your bread will get smaller and smaller."

NingNing followed up: "And what about the winner?"

"The winner—" Jiang Zhiyu waved his other phone, "uses the 'Zhimins Little Strawberry' account to send a rebuttal message. No need to eat bread."

Uchinaga Eri asked: "How is the winner decided?"

Jiang Zhiyu pointed at Kim Minjeong, NingNing, and himself.

"The judges—meaning the other three people besides the contestants for this round—will judge the sentences sent by the two. Whether they are vicious enough, whether they strike the soul directly."

He looked around and summarized: "Finally, the person with the most intact bread wins."

The practice room was quiet for a second, and then—

"I want to play!" Kim Minjeong was the first to raise her hand.

NingNing was also eager to try: "Sounds very interesting!"

Uchinaga Eri nodded silently.

Karina gritted her teeth, staring at the two phones in Jiang Zhiyu's hands with a complex expression. She wanted to grab those two accounts and delete them, but she also wanted—

To win.

She had to win.

Jiang Zhiyu watched the four different reactions and smiled.

"The first shot—"

He deliberately elongated his voice, his gaze falling on Kim Minjeong.

"I've decided to give it to Minjeong."

Kim Minjeong was stunned for a moment, then she seemed to be ignited, jumping up in excitement.

"Really? Oppa! You're really letting me go first?"

Jiang Zhiyu nodded and handed her the phone with "guardian of princess wonyoung".

Kim Minjeong took the phone, almost jumping for joy.

But soon, looking at the account on the screen, she was a bit at a loss.

She looked up at Jiang Zhiyu.

"Oppa, what should I do?"

There was a hint of nervousness in her voice.

Jiang Zhiyu tilted his head toward Karina's direction.

"Scold her."

Kim Minjeong followed his gaze.

Karina was sitting there with her arms crossed, her face wearing a "don't you dare" expression.

"Ya!!!"

Karina's voice rang out, carrying a blatant threat.

Kim Minjeong shrank her neck and looked at Jiang Zhiyu a bit fearfully.

"Oppa... Ji-min Unnie is so scary..."

Jiang Zhiyu raised an eyebrow and said nonchalantly, "Don't be afraid, Oppa supports you in spirit."

NingNing said faintly from the side, "Master, saying that is completely unconvincing..."

Jiang Zhiyu thought about it and felt NingNing was right. Just spiritual support really wasn't enough.

He pulled those two phones from his pocket and shook them in his hand.

"How about this—"

He looked around, a mischievous smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

"Whoever wins, I'll give her the phone logged into these two accounts."

The practice room instantly went silent.

The four people's gazes fell on the two phones simultaneously.

The latest iPhone models, with the homepages of "guardian of princess wonyoung" and "Zhimins Little Strawberry" still lit up on the screens. These two accounts had nearly ten million followers combined; any post could easily trend—

These weren't just phones; they were clearly two nuclear bombs.

Kim Minjeong's eyes brightened even more.

NingNing sat up straight.

Uchinaga Eri silently moved a step forward.

Karina's gaze moved from the phone to Kim Minjeong's face, and then from Kim Minjeong's face to Jiang Zhiyu's—

Her eyes became dangerous.

"Although the gift isn't particularly expensive," Jiang Zhiyu said nonchalantly, "however—"

"Enough." Karina interrupted him, her voice as calm as a pool of stagnant water.

She stared at Kim Minjeong, her lips curving slightly upward into a "you're finished" smile.

"Kim Minjeong, come on."

Kim Minjeong shrank her neck, intimidated by that smile, but holding the "guardian of princess wonyoung" phone, she felt full of power again.

She looked at the phone screen, then at Karina, then at Jiang Zhiyu—

Then, her lips slowly curled into a smile.

That smile was exactly the same as Jiang Zhiyu's before he did something bad.

Exactly like Lee Tima's smile when she was plotting against someone.

It was a smile unique to the "TG Family".

Jiang Zhiyu looked at that smile and sighed inwardly: This child really grew up under my watch.

Kim Minjeong lowered her head, her fingers beginning to tap rapidly on the screen.

While typing, she muttered softly:

"Let me think about how to scold Ji-min Unnie..."

Veins began to bulge on Karina's forehead.

"Ya! Kim Minjeong!"

Her voice was both urgent and loud.

"If you dare write anything too excessive, you're dead!!!"

Kim Minjeong looked up at her and gave an innocent smile.

She wasn't afraid at all.

"Unnie, it's the game rules~"

That tone, that expression, was simply identical to Jiang Zhiyu.

Jiang Zhiyu couldn't help but laugh from the side.

"Ya! Kim Minjeong!"

"Unnie." Kim Minjeong interrupted her, her voice as calm as if she were reporting the weather forecast.

She looked up at Karina with a bright smile.

"I've thought of it."

Karina's blood pressure instantly soared to its peak.

Karina looked at her sudden burst of energy and clenched her fists, gritting her teeth.

She stared at Kim Minjeong, her eyes full of "just you wait".

She had to win.

Not for the phone, not for the account.

It was so she wouldn't be scolded too badly by Kim Minjeong.

No, she would make Kim Minjeong cry with her scolding before Kim Minjeong could scold her.

No, she would win this competition and then use that phone to send Jiang Zhiyu a message—

"Oppa, you're finished."

Yes, just like that.

Karina took a deep breath, her gaze becoming sharp.

Kim Minjeong finally stopped typing. She checked what she had written, nodded with satisfaction, and then held up the phone for the judges to see.

"I've finished writing!"

NingNing and Uchinaga Eri leaned in to look.

After NingNing finished reading, the expression on her face was very complex.

After Uchinaga Eri finished reading, she silently took a step back.

Karina also wanted to see, but Kim Minjeong hid the phone tightly, only showing it to the judges.

Jiang Zhiyu stood by, looking expectant.

"How is it? Vicious enough?"

NingNing took a deep breath: "Master, this game of yours... will cause casualties."

Uchinaga Eri nodded in agreement.

Jiang Zhiyu laughed.

That smile was as bright as the afternoon sun.

"That's good."

He looked at Kim Minjeong.

"Post it."

Kim Minjeong's finger hovered over the send button, hesitating for a second.

She looked at Karina.

Karina was glaring at her, the fire in her eyes enough to burn someone to ashes.

Kim Minjeong gritted her teeth.

And then—

Pressed send.

The practice room was so quiet that the hum of the air conditioner could be heard.

Karina's phone vibrated.

She looked down.

[guardian of princess wonyoung: The nickname 'Pig 51' for Karina really isn't for nothing. At the fansign last week, a fan gave her a box of macarons, and she opened and ate them on the spot—she ate three! While the other teammates were working, she was eating! If this isn't a pig, what is? Pig 51 is confirmed! Confirmed! Confirmed! Important things must be said three times! Attached is the classic 'pig head thief' emoji.]

Karina stared at that paragraph, staring at the nickname 'Pig 51', staring at those three 'confirmed's—

Her face turned from white to red, red to purple, and purple to black.

"Kim—Min—jeong—!!!"

Her voice resounded through the practice room, making the windows shake.

Kim Minjeong had already shrunk behind Jiang Zhiyu, only showing half her head, her voice as small as a mosquito's buzz:

"It was Oppa who told me to scold..."

Karina's gaze turned to Jiang Zhiyu.

Jiang Zhiyu spread his hands innocently: "I only told her to 'scold you', but she wrote the content herself."

Kim Minjeong nodded frantically behind him: "Right! I wrote it myself!"

Karina took a deep breath, and then another.

She looked at Kim Minjeong's face hiding behind Jiang Zhiyu, showing only half her head, with an expression both cowardly and smug—

Suddenly she felt that if she didn't deal with both of them today, she wouldn't be called Karina.

But the game wasn't over yet.

Jiang Zhiyu cleared his throat and held up the black phone.

"Now, it's the winner's turn to write a comeback."

His gaze swept back and forth between NingNing and Uchinaga Eri.

"Judges, who won that round?"

NingNing and Uchinaga Eri exchanged glances.

"What Kim Minjeong wrote was vicious enough," NingNing said, "vicious enough, and it struck the soul directly."

Uchinaga Eri nodded: "Especially the line 'While the other teammates were working, she was eating', it's too real."

Karina's face darkened another shade.

Jiang Zhiyu also smiled, a smile full of the gratification of "this child has a future".

Only Karina's face had a color that could no longer be described in words.

She gritted her teeth, spitting out each word: "Kim, Min, jeong—"

Kim Minjeong hid behind Jiang Zhiyu, poked half her head out, and said righteously: "You told me to scold you! And this is a competition! You have to be serious in a competition!"

Karina took a deep breath, and then another.

Then she turned to Jiang Zhiyu and held out her hand: "Give me the phone."

Karina took the phone, lowered her head, and started typing.

Her fingers were flying, her force so great it seemed like she was going to poke through the screen.

A few seconds later, a new message appeared on the "Zhimins Little Strawberry" account.

[Zhimins Little Strawberry: guardian of princess wonyoung, are you Karina's sasaeng fan? Paying such close attention? You even know how many macarons she ate at the fansign? What does Karina eating macarons have to do with you? If she's a pig, then what are you? A pig trough? Specifically meant to hold the leftovers pigs eat? And you say the teammates were working? Is that called working? That's called fake smiling! At least Karina was really eating! Do you understand what it means to be genuine? What's wrong with Pig 51? Pig 51 is still May Day! It's a hundred times better than that 'Guardian' Wonyoung of yours! Wonyoung isn't even as good as a pig; a pig can still eat, she can only fake smile!]

[guardian of princess wonyoung: Karina is just so-so. Besides having a face like a praying mantis, a body like a bamboo pole, dancing like being electrocuted, and singing like a duck's quack, what other merits does she have? Oh right, she's quite good at stealing pig heads, 'Pig 51' is well-deserved!]

The practice room was quiet for three seconds.

Then NingNing burst out laughing with a "pfft", and Uchinaga Eri covered her mouth, her shoulders shaking.

Karina's face turned from red to purple, purple to black.

"Kim—Min—jeong—!!!"

Her voice could lift the roof of the practice room as she lunged toward Kim Minjeong.

Kim Minjeong was prepared; she nimbly hid behind Jiang Zhiyu, poked half her head out, and said with a grin: "Unnie, game rules! Game rules!"

Karina gritted her teeth and glared at her, her gaze enough to swallow someone whole.

Jiang Zhiyu stood between the two, smiling like a fox that had stolen a chicken. He cleared his throat and announced: "First round, the 'guardian of princess wonyoung' side has finished posting. Now, 'Zhimins Little Strawberry' side, please take the field."

He handed the phone to Karina.

"Ji-min, it's your turn."

Karina took the phone, took a deep breath, and then another.

She looked down at the post scolding her on the screen, her fingers hovering over the keyboard for a few seconds. Then she looked up and glanced at Kim Minjeong, who was poking her head out from behind Jiang Zhiyu.

Kim Minjeong blinked her eyes innocently.

Karina gritted her teeth and began to type.

Her movements were fast, carrying an aura of "since we're playing, let's play to the end".

[Zhimins Little Strawberry: Did the person upstairs eat shit? Why is your mouth so stinky? From her debut until now, which stage was Karina not serious about? Which livestream was she not sincere in? You say she dances like she's being electrocuted? Are you blind? Why don't you try dancing her 'Dance Break' for me? Singing like a duck's quack? Is that ear of yours just for decoration? Can you hit her high notes? Pig 51? Look in the mirror and see what kind of state you're in before evaluating others! You're so obsessed with our Karina, you must have a crush on her, right?]

After NingNing finished reading, she directly clapped: "Good! This is vicious enough!"

Uchinaga Eri gave a thumbs up: "Especially that last line 'have a crush on her', it's brilliant."

Kim Minjeong also had to admit that this comeback was indeed vicious enough. She pursed her lips and muttered: "It's okay..."

Karina raised her chin and looked at Jiang Zhiyu with a hint of smugness.

Jiang Zhiyu suppressed a smile and announced: "First round, both sides have finished posting. Now, will the three judges please judge."

NingNing raised her hand: "I vote for 'Zhimins Little Strawberry'. That last line 'have a crush on her' was too soul-piercing."

Uchinaga Eri nodded: "I also vote for Little Strawberry. That 'eat shit' opening was too impactful."

Kim Minjeong looked at the two of them, then at Karina, and said reluctantly: "Fine... I also vote for Little Strawberry."

Jiang Zhiyu smiled: "Two to one, 'Zhimins Little Strawberry' wins. Ji-min doesn't have to eat the bread, Minjeong—"

He looked at Kim Minjeong.

"Tear the bread."

Kim Minjeong pouted and looked down at the Cream Cheese Danish in her hand. That was her favorite bread; she usually ate two of them. Now she had to personally tear off a piece.

She carefully tore off a small piece and put it in her mouth, chewing with a face full of grievance.

Karina looked at her like that and finally couldn't help but smile. In that smile, there was smugness, relief, and a hint of "you finally got what's coming to you" satisfaction.

"Continue!" Kim Minjeong swallowed the bread and regained her spirit, "I'm going to win the next round!"

Fighting spirit ignited in her eyes.

NingNing rubbed her hands together: "It's my turn!"

Uchinaga Eri also silently pushed her Croissant forward.

Karina looked at her teammates who were eager to try and suddenly had a premonition—today, she might be played quite miserably in this game.

But she wouldn't give up.

She took a deep breath, placed the Strawberry Danish in front of her, and glared at Jiang Zhiyu.

"Come on!"

Jiang Zhiyu looked at them, the smile on his lips deepening.

The game has only just begun.