411: Chapter 465 Phantom Thief Zhimin (31)

When the doorbell rang, the four people in the kitchen were arguing incessantly over the temperature of a bowl of milk.

"I think it should be a bit hotter; the tutorial says to boil it until small Bubbles appear," NingNing said, pointing at the tablet screen with a serious expression.

"But if it's too hot, it'll affect the formation of the milk skin, right?" Uchinaga Eri countered, flipping through a cookbook.

"Then let's compromise; warm is fine," Kim Minjeong suggested vaguely, tilting her head while holding Lami.

Karina held the pot of milk, looking left and right, unable to make up her mind.

The doorbell rang again.

"Oppa is here!" Kim Minjeong was the first to react. She ran toward the door holding Lami, but stopped halfway to quickly fix her hair in the mirror before rushing to the door again.

NingNing watched her back and couldn't help but roll her eyes. "Is that really necessary?"

Uchinaga Eri said slowly, "It is. Because it's Oppa who's coming."

Karina didn't say anything, but she subconsciously set down the pot, straightened her apron, and touched her hair before pretending to nonchalantly stare at the milk again.

Kim Minjeong opened the door to find Jiang Zhiyu standing there. He wore a dark gray suit jacket with tiny raindrops on his shoulders, and his hair was slightly mussed by the autumn wind. He held a paper bag containing several hot drinks, with white steam curling up from the opening.

"Oppa!" Kim Minjeong looked up, her eyes sparkling.

Jiang Zhiyu smiled at her puppy-like expression, as if she were waiting for her owner to come home. He reached out to rub her head and handed her the paper bag. "Bought these on the way to warm you up."

Kim Minjeong took it and looked inside—it was her favorite hot cocoa. She immediately hugged the paper bag as if it were a precious treasure.

The distance from the foyer to the kitchen was short, but Jiang Zhiyu didn't walk fast. His gaze swept across the living room, the open kitchen counter, and the four figures wearing aprons—finally landing on Karina.

Karina had her back to him, seemingly focused on studying the pot of milk. But her slightly stiff shoulders betrayed her.

The corners of Jiang Zhiyu's mouth curled up. He took off his suit jacket, draped it over the back of a dining chair, rolled up his shirt sleeves, and walked into the kitchen.

"How's the progress?"

NingNing immediately gave up her spot as the head chef, her face saying "the savior is here." "We're about to boil the milk, but we have a disagreement about the temperature."

Jiang Zhiyu glanced at the pot and touched the side. "It's fine, this temperature is just right. Turn on a low flame and let it simmer until small Bubbles appear."

His gaze swept over the ingredients piled on the counter and landed on Karina again.

She stood at the counter, still holding the tablet which displayed a tutorial for Double-skin milk. A light pink apron was tied around her waist, accentuating her slender figure. She didn't look at him, her eyes fixed on the tablet, but the tips of her ears had quietly turned red.

"How are the preparations going?" Jiang Zhiyu walked over and stood beside her.

Karina felt him approaching, and the fresh scent of herbs enveloped her, making her heart skip a few beats. She tried to keep her voice calm. "It's okay... it's just..."

"Just what?"

"It's just..." She bit her lower lip. "What if I fail?"

Jiang Zhiyu looked at her and smiled. It was a light smile, but it carried a reassuring power. "If you fail, just start over. There are plenty of ingredients and enough time." He paused. "Besides, I'm here."

Karina's heart skipped a beat. She lowered her head, pretending to look at the tablet, and whispered, "I know."

Kim Minjeong stood nearby with her hot cocoa, watching the two of them while sipping, her eyes narrowed into slits. She nudged NingNing with her elbow and whispered, "Don't you think... the atmosphere is a bit strange?"

NingNing was secretly eating a second box of strawberries. Hearing this, she looked up, glanced at Jiang Zhiyu and Karina, then at Kim Minjeong, and said expressionlessly, "No. You're overthinking it."

"Really?" Kim Minjeong tilted her head, feeling like something was off but unable to put it into words.

Uchinaga Eri stood by the bar counter, flipping through the cookbook without looking up. Her tone was as flat as if she were reading a textbook. "Minjeong-ah, there are some things you'll understand when you grow up."

Kim Minjeong blinked, even more confused.

Karina turned on the stove, and the milk slowly heated up in the pot. Her movements were very careful, for fear of overcooking it. Kim Minjeong leaned in with Lami, peeking curiously.

"Unnie, are you nervous?"

"I'm not nervous," Karina said calmly, but her fingers gripping the pot handle were slightly pale.

Kim Minjeong blinked and didn't expose her.

The milk soon developed fine Bubbles. Karina immediately turned off the heat and carefully poured it into a bowl. The milky white liquid swayed gently in the bowl, and a thin skin gradually began to form on the surface.

"It's a success," Jiang Zhiyu said.

Karina looked up, a smug smile appearing on her face.

But this was only the first step. Next came a series of steps: beating egg whites, mixing milk, filtering, and steaming. As Karina looked at the tutorial, her brow furrowed tighter and tighter.

Jiang Zhiyu didn't interfere, just stood quietly to the side. He knew she needed to complete it herself—this was her live stream, her content, her first independent project.

Karina took a deep breath and began.

The time was exactly 7:00 PM.

Karina picked up her phone, opened Bubble, took a deep breath, and pressed the send button.

The first selfie—she was wearing the light pink apron, her hair loosely tied back with a few stray strands falling by her face. She held up a "V" sign to the camera, the corners of her mouth slightly upturned, carrying a hint of pride, a hint of shyness, and a touch of "I definitely didn't make this specifically for you" stubbornness.

In the corner of the photo, she had added a few lines of small text using an editing app—

Korean: 뭘 만들지 맞혀봐? (Guess what I'm making?)

Chinese: It's not like I made this specifically for you~

English: It’s not like I made this for you or anything~

The moment it was sent, the Bubble notification sounds began to ring frantically.

[Ahhhh Ji-min!!!]

[Apron Ji-min!!! I'm dying!!!]

["Not made specifically for you"? Then who is it for?!]

[What's with this tsundere tone! So cute!]

[Ji-min, what are you making? A dessert?]

[That "not specifically" is so Ji-min!]

[I'm going to faint, this gap moe is amazing!]

Jiang Zhiyu stood behind her, watching the comments scrolling rapidly on the phone screen, the corners of his mouth turning up. Kim Minjeong leaned over, resting her chin on Jiang Zhiyu's shoulder, her eyes wide as she read the comments: "'This tsundere tone,' 'so cute,' 'I'm going to faint'..." She looked up at Karina. "Unnie, you're a hit."

Karina's face turned slightly red, but she couldn't suppress the smile on her lips.

Jiang Zhiyu took out his own phone and opened Bubble—of course, he was subscribed to Karina's Bubble. He looked at the comments and picked a few to read out: "Someone's asking what dessert you're making. Someone says your apron is cute. And someone is asking—" He paused, a mischievous grin appearing on his face, "asking if you're making it for your boyfriend."

Karina's face instantly turned beet red. "What boyfriend! I'm not!"

"Then who are you making it for?" Kim Minjeong asked innocently.

Karina opened her mouth and then closed it. Her gaze darted toward Jiang Zhiyu and then quickly away, pretending to look at the ingredients on the counter. "I'm making it... making it for the MYs."

Kim Minjeong blinked. "Then why say 'it's not like I made this specifically for you'? If it's for the MYs, then it is specifically for them."

Karina took a deep breath, then reached out and gently pinched Kim Minjeong's cheek. "You talk too much."

Kim Minjeong held her pinched cheek and looked at Jiang Zhiyu piteously. Jiang Zhiyu smiled and rubbed her head.

"Alright, the first one is sent." She took a deep breath. "What's next?"

Jiang Zhiyu continued reading the comments: "Someone else is asking—'Ji-min, is this your first time making a dessert?'" He looked up at Karina. "This is a good question; you can answer it."

Karina thought for a moment, picked up her phone, opened the camera, and switched to the front-facing lens. She struck a "serious" expression for the camera and pressed record.

"Um... it is indeed my first time making a dessert. So if it doesn't turn out well... you're not allowed to laugh." She paused, the corners of her mouth turning up. "But I don't think it'll be bad. After all, I'm a genius."

After recording the video, she watched it once, felt it was okay, and sent it out.

The comment section exploded again.

[Genius Ji-min! You're a genius at everything!]

[So confident for her first time making a dessert, as expected of Ji-min!]

[We won't laugh! Even if it's not good, we won't laugh!]

[I've watched this video ten times; Ji-min's expression is too cute!]

Kim Minjeong looked at the comments and couldn't help but remark, "Unnie, you're really suited for this tsundere persona."

Karina glared at her, but she was secretly delighted.

Jiang Zhiyu continued filtering comments, then suddenly stopped, his eyes narrowing slightly. "This question is interesting—'Ji-min, why did you suddenly want to make Double-skin milk? Is it because someone wanted to eat it?'"

Karina froze for a moment.

In her mind, the scene of her leaning close to Jiang Zhiyu in the bakery that day, rambling about how "Double-skin milk is so delicious but I can never find authentic ones in Seoul," instantly flashed.

She bit her lower lip, then picked up her phone and started recording a video.

Facing the camera, she cleared her throat and said, "Why did I suddenly want to make Double-skin milk? Because..."

She paused, her gaze unconsciously darting to the side.

Jiang Zhiyu was leaning against the bar counter, arms crossed, watching her. Those eyes were as clear as ever, carrying a hint of a smile.

Karina withdrew her gaze and said to the camera, "Because I wanted to give you a surprise."

After saying it, she froze.

Wait—this sentence—

She had said "to you" to the camera.

Not "to you guys," but "to you."

Who was that "you"?

Her face instantly turned red, and her mind went blank. "Ah!" she suddenly cried out. "It's not a surprise if I say it! Forget it quickly!"

She said urgently to the camera, "Where are the Men in Black? Lend me a memory-erasing tool! I need one!"

The video was recorded, and she sent it out without even looking at it.

The comment section was in a complete uproar.

[A memory-erasing tool, Hahaha! Ji-min, you're too cute!]

[So you really are making it for a specific person?!]

[Who is that person?! Is it a MY? Or...]

[Ji-min, the more you act like this, the more curious we get!]

[Men in Black: ??? What does this have to do with us?]

Kim Minjeong looked at the comments and laughed so hard she slapped her thigh. "Unnie, you're doomed. Now the whole world knows you're making Double-skin milk for someone."

Karina glared at her. "Shut up!"

NingNing said faintly from the side, "Unnie, your ears are so red they look like they're about to bleed."

Karina reached out and touched her ears—they were indeed incredibly hot. She took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down. "Alright, alright, next part."

Jiang Zhiyu laughed at her forced composure. He put down his phone and walked to the counter. "Let's boil the milk first."

Karina nodded, picked up the carton of milk, and poured it into the pot. Her hands were still shaking slightly, and a few drops splashed onto the counter as she poured.

Jiang Zhiyu stood beside her and said softly, "Slower, no need to rush."

Karina gave an "mm" and slowed down. The milk level rose in the pot, and the aroma of milk began to fill the kitchen.

The second selfie.

This time, Karina didn't take a picture of her face, but of her hands and the ingredients. Her hands were fair and slender, her fingertips slightly pink, holding a wooden spoon and gently stirring the milk in the pot. Beside her were eggs, sugar, and several small bowls.

Once the photo was taken, she began writing the caption.

Chinese text: First time making a dessert, I hope it succeeds... Hmph~ I'll definitely give you a big surprise!

Korean text: 첫 디저트 도전, 성공했으면 좋겠다...흥~ 분명 널 놀라게 해줄 거야!

English text: First time making dessert, hope it turns out well... Hmph! I’ll definitely surprise you!

After sending it, the comment section was filled with screams again.

["I'll definitely give you a big surprise"—that "you" appeared again!]

[So who on earth is it! I really want to know!]

[Ji-min, who are you talking to!]

[This tsundere tone, I'm dying, I'm dying!]}],

[part:gemini-3.1-flash-lite]

" Welfare for hand lovers! Ji-min's hands are so beautiful!"

"Even that wooden spoon looks good just because it's held by Ji-min's hands!"

Kim Minjeong looked at those comments and couldn't help but exclaim, "Unnie, your 'Tsundere Ji-min' persona has really been established."

Karina hummed, "I'm like this by nature; it's not a persona."

Kim Minjeong paused for a moment, then nodded, "That's true."

Jiang Zhiyu watched the data on his phone screen, his eyebrows slightly raised.

The speed of comments on Bubble was five times faster than usual, and the fans' enthusiasm exceeded expectations.

The potential of this model was even greater than he had imagined.

He thought for a moment, took another phone out of his pocket, and tapped it a few times.

Soon, music began to play from the kitchen speakers—it was the instrumental version of aespa's upcoming digital single, "Warm Coffee."

The melody was soothing and gentle, like the sunlight on an autumn afternoon, or that cup of warm coffee in one's palm.

Kim Minjeong's eyes lit up, "Oppa, is this our song?"

Jiang Zhiyu nodded, "A little early teaser."

NingNing gave a thumbs up, "Master, this move is great."

Listening to the familiar melody, Karina's internal tension slowly dissipated.

She stood in front of the kitchen counter, continuing to stir the milk in the pot, her movements much more composed than before.

The milk was boiled.

Karina took the pot off the stove and set it aside to cool.

According to the tutorial, she needed to wait for a layer of milk skin to form on the surface before proceeding to the next step.

She stood in front of the kitchen counter, staring at the pot of milk without blinking.

Kim Minjeong leaned over and stared at the pot of milk too. "Unnie, what are you looking at?"

"Waiting for the milk skin."

"Milk skin?"

"Yes, the tutorial says to wait for a layer of milk skin to form on the surface."

Kim Minjeong stared at the pot of milk for a few seconds, then asked, "When will it form?"

Karina shook her head, "I don't know."

The two of them stood in front of the pot, staring at each other with wide eyes, then back at the motionless milk.

Watching this scene from the side, NingNing couldn't help but roll her eyes. "You two... can't you go do something else? Isn't it boring just standing there waiting?"

Karina and Kim Minjeong shook their heads simultaneously.

NingNing sighed and pulled Uchinaga Eri aside to wash fruit.

After a while, the milk skin finally appeared.

Karina excitedly pointed at the pot, "Look! Milk skin!"

Kim Minjeong got excited too, "Really! A layer! It's so thin!"

Karina carefully picked up the chopsticks and, following the steps in the tutorial, gently pushed aside the milk skin to pour out the milk underneath.

Her movements were light and slow, as if she were performing delicate surgery.

Jiang Zhiyu stood behind her, watching her movements, and nodded slightly. "Not bad, very steady."

Hearing his praise, Karina felt sweet inside, but she said, "Of course, I'm a genius."

Kim Minjeong muttered from the side, "Unnie, you're getting more and more narcissistic."

Karina glared at her, but the smile on the corners of her mouth couldn't be hidden.

After the milk was poured out, egg whites and sugar needed to be added, mixed well, and then poured back into the bowl with the milk skin.

Karina picked up the whisk and started mixing.

Her movements were a bit clumsy; the egg whites and milk were mixed together, but no matter how much she stirred, they wouldn't blend.

Her brow furrowed. "Why won't it blend?"

Kim Minjeong leaned over to look, "Unnie, are you using too little strength?"

Karina stubbornly increased her force, but the more she stirred, the messier it got, and the liquid in the bowl splattered onto her apron.

"Ah—"

Jiang Zhiyu couldn't help but laugh.

He walked behind her, reached out, and covered her hand that was holding the whisk. "Do it like this—use your wrist, not your arm."

Karina froze completely.

His hand was large and warm, completely enveloping hers.

She could feel the warmth of his palm spreading through the back of her hand and throughout her entire body.

That crisp, herbal scent enveloped her, so close it felt like it was melting into her skin.

Her heart beat like a drum.

"Got it?" Jiang Zhiyu's voice came from above her head.

Karina nodded mechanically.

Jiang Zhiyu let go and stepped back.

Karina held the whisk and, following the method he had just taught her, stirred gently.

Sure enough, the egg whites and milk quickly blended together.

Kim Minjeong watched from the side, her eyes sparkling. "Oppa is so skilled at this, it looks delicious."

NingNing said quietly, "Unnie, are you planning to pay to buy the master, so he can make delicious food just for you?"

Kim Minjeong paused for a second, then her face turned bright red.

"Yah! What do you mean buy Oppa with money! NingNing!!!"

She lunged to hit NingNing, but NingNing laughed and dodged.

The two of them ran around the kitchen counter, Kim Minjeong chasing and NingNing running, while Uchinaga Eri stood by the bar counter with her coffee, taking a calm sip.

Jiang Zhiyu watched this scene and couldn't help but laugh.

He reached out, grabbed Kim Minjeong as she ran by, and ruffled her hair.

Kim Minjeong was held by him, unable to move, and could only stand there obediently.

His hand was large and warm, with just the right amount of pressure.

She felt so comfortable that her eyes narrowed, and she let out a satisfied "purr," like a puppy getting petted.

Jiang Zhiyu looked at her, his smile deepening.

His gaze became somewhat distant, and his voice was soft, as if he were speaking to Kim Minjeong, or perhaps to himself: "In a few years..."

Kim Minjeong looked up and blinked.

"In a few years, whatever Minjeong wants to eat, Oppa will make it for you."

His voice was very soft, yet as clear as if it were carved into her heart.

"Even at the company..."

Kim Minjeong paused.

Then her heart softened completely.

She didn't know what to say, so she just nodded vigorously, her eyes turning slightly red.

She sniffled and said softly, "Then I'm going to eat so many things that I'll tire Oppa out."

Jiang Zhiyu laughed, "Okay."

NingNing and Uchinaga Eri stood by, watching this scene, their expressions surprisingly identical—arms crossed, heads slightly tilted, with a smile that said, "We know everything but we're not saying it."

Uchinaga Eri whispered in Chinese, "Something's going on."

NingNing replied in Chinese, "A big something."

The two of them looked at each other and laughed simultaneously.

Karina stood in front of the kitchen counter, the whisk in her hand stopping.

She had heard Jiang Zhiyu's words.

"In a few years, whatever Minjeong wants to eat, Oppa will make it for you. Even at the company..."

Even at the company.

Which company?

TG Entertainment, or—

In her mind, the gaze Jiang Zhiyu had when he looked around the lobby of SM Entertainment that day suddenly appeared.

That kind of gaze was like a lion patrolling its territory.

Everything here will belong to me sooner or later.

Her heart skipped a beat.

A thought emerged from the bottom of her heart, like a seed, quietly taking root and sprouting.

But she didn't dare to think deeply about it.

She shook her head, suppressed that thought, and picked up the whisk again.

Now, the most important thing was the Double-skin milk.

It was the Bubble live stream.

It was this night right in front of her.

Other things—

Can wait until later.

Karina took a deep breath and slowly poured the well-mixed milk and egg white liquid back into the bowl with the milk skin.

The milk skin floated up, covering the surface like a thin layer of satin.

She put the bowl into the steamer and closed the lid.

"Okay, wait fifteen minutes."

Kim Minjeong leaned over, staring at the steamer without blinking. "Unnie, do you think it will succeed?"

Karina looked at the steaming pot, was silent for a second, then said, "It will."

Her voice wasn't loud, but it was firm.

Outside the window, it was still raining.

But inside the kitchen, it was warm as spring.

The four girls gathered around the kitchen counter, waiting for the Double-skin milk to be ready.

Jiang Zhiyu leaned against the bar counter, watching them with a hint of a smile on his lips.

The popularity of the first selfie continued to climb, and related search terms had already appeared on the trending list—#KarinaDoubleSkinMilkChallenge#, #TsundereJi-min#, #ItIsNotSpecificallyMadeForYou#.

Karina glanced at the trending search, and her heart beat even faster.

But she didn't have time to think too much because it was time to post the second selfie.

She picked up her phone, adjusted the angle, and took a photo of the kitchen counter—the image only showed her hands and the prepared ingredients: milk, eggs, sugar, a strainer, and a whisk.

Her hands were fair and slender, her nails neatly trimmed and clean, with no nail polish, exuding a fresh, natural beauty.

The caption—

Korean: 처 음 으 로 디 저 트 를 만 들 어 봐 ... 성 공 했 으 면 좋 겠 다 (Making dessert for the first time... I hope it succeeds.)

Chinese: Hmph~ I will definitely surprise you!

English: Hmph! I'm definitely going to surprise you.

The moment it was posted, the comment section exploded again.

"This 'Hmph~' is so vivid!"

"I can almost see her lifting her chin tsundere-style!"

"So confident for a first-time dessert maker? As expected of Ji-min!"

"Definitely going to surprise you—I'm already surprised, and so cute!"

Kim Minjeong looked at those comments and exclaimed, "Unnie, you used that 'Hmph' so well; the tsundere vibe is maxed out."

Karina's face turned slightly red, but she refused to give in, "I'm tsundere by nature... no, wait, I'm not tsundere at all!"

NingNing and Uchinaga Eri looked at each other and laughed simultaneously.

Jiang Zhiyu watched all this, already planning the follow-up arrangements in his mind.

The essence of this model was—it maintained the distance between the idol and the fans—after all, it was just photos and voice messages, not a real-time video; yet it created an intimacy where "she is chatting with me alone."

This delicate balance was exactly what the fans bought into the most.

Furthermore, this format carried almost no risk of scandals—no shared frames, no third parties, just her alone, wearing an apron, busy in the kitchen, occasionally being tsundere to the camera, occasionally shy, occasionally being stubborn.

Perfect.

He retracted his thoughts and began to think about the background music.

The instrumental version of "Warm Coffee" was perfect to use—the soothing piano melody, carrying a touch of autumn warmth and laziness, was a perfect match for the process of making Double-skin milk.

He took out his phone and sent a message to the company's music production department.

The subsequent operations were simple.

Karina completed a step, she took a photo—her focused profile while whisking egg whites, her slightly furrowed brows while straining milk, her careful hands while pouring the mixture into the bowl, and her relieved smile when placing the bowl into the steamer.

Each photo was accompanied by that "Tsundere Ji-min" style of text—

Korean: 흰 자 랑 노 른 자 랑 분 리 하 는 게 생 각 보 다 어 려 워 (Separating egg whites and yolks is harder than I thought.)

Chinese: I-I'm not flustered at all!

English: I'm not flustered at all!

Korean: 거 르 는 건 정 말 중 요 한 것 같 아. 안 그 러 면 덩 어 리 질 거 야 (Straining seems really important. Otherwise, it will be lumpy.)

Chinese: If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be this serious!

English: I wouldn't be this serious if it weren't for you.

Korean: 찜 통 에 넣 었 어 ... 기 다 려 야 돼 (Put it in the steamer... have to wait a bit.)

Chinese: It's so boring while waiting... You aren't allowed to rush me!

English: Don't rush me while I'm waiting!

Each time one was posted, the comment section was filled with screams.

"She's talking to me! Every sentence is talking to me!"

"This 'Don't rush me' is just too cute!"

"She's clearly working so seriously, but she's all tsundere with her words. What kind of peerless contrast is this!"

"I'm already sweetened to death; the Double-skin milk isn't even done yet, and I've already been sweetened to death by Ji-min!"

Trending search terms were also constantly updating—#KarinaTsundereQuotes#, #Ji-min'sDoubleSkinMilkDiary#, #ItIsNotForYou#.

Kim Minjeong looked at those trending searches, her eyes turning red with envy: "Unnie, you're dominating the charts."

Karina replied while taking photos: "Of course, don't you know who I am?"

She said that, but her hands were actually trembling slightly.

Not because of nervousness, but because of excitement—those fan comments, every single one saying "so cute," "so sweet," "so likeable." That feeling of being acknowledged made her feel like she was floating.

Jiang Zhiyu watched the changes in her expression and couldn't help but laugh.

At this moment, the music department replied— "The instrumental version of 'Warm Coffee' has been sent to your email, please check."

Jiang Zhiyu downloaded it and played it on the Bluetooth speaker.

The soothing piano melody flowed through the kitchen, warm, lazy, carrying a touch of autumn chill and the rich aroma of coffee.

Karina paused, looked up, and looked at him.

[part:deepseek-chat]

Jiang Zhiyu said: "Background music, pre-release single."

Karina blinked, then smiled. This guy, he even thought of that.

Kim Minjeong heard the music and immediately started humming along—even though there were only melodies without lyrics, she had already listened to that song countless times, the tune long since etched in her mind.

"Warm coffee, warm coffee, warm coffee~" she hummed softly, holding Lami and gently swaying.

NingNing watched her from the side and couldn't help but say: "Unnie, are you planning to pay the master to make delicious food just for you?"

Kim Minjeong's face flushed red instantly.

"Ya! What do you mean by using money to buy Oppa! NingNing!!!"

Her voice was urgent and loud, startling even Lami.

NingNing blinked innocently: "I just asked if you were planning to pay to hire the master, I didn't say anything else."

Kim Minjeong's face turned even redder. She instinctively looked towards Jiang Zhiyu, only to find him looking back at her, a smile at the corner of his mouth.

That smile made her heartbeat quicken even more.

Jiang Zhiyu walked over and reached out to ruffle her hair. The warmth from his palm spread across the top of Kim Minjeong's head, the action gentle as if petting a well-behaved puppy. She unconsciously squinted her eyes slightly, a soft "purring" sound escaping her throat—a habit when she felt comfortable, something she wasn't even aware of.

NingNing and Uchinaga Eri exchanged a glance, both wearing expressions that said "watching the gossip."

Karina also noticed the commotion over here, but she just glanced up before lowering her head to continue taking photos. Only, her hand holding the phone tightened slightly.

Jiang Zhiyu's hand lingered on Kim Minjeong's head for a few seconds before withdrawing. He looked at her face, slightly flushed from shyness and comfort, and suddenly spoke, his tone carrying a hint of inexplicable meaningfulness.

"In a few more years..."

Kim Minjeong looked up at him.

Jiang Zhiyu continued, his voice very soft: "In a few more years, whatever Minjeong wants to eat, Oppa will make it for you."

Kim Minjeong's eyes slowly widened.

"At the company too..."

He said the last few words very slowly, as if hinting at something.

Kim Minjeong stood there frozen, her mind blank. She couldn't understand what "in a few more years" meant, nor what "at the company too" meant. But somewhere in her heart, it felt incredibly soft and tender.

"Oppa..." She opened her mouth but didn't know what to say.

Jiang Zhiyu had already withdrawn his gaze, looking towards Karina by the kitchen counter. Kim Minjeong stood rooted to the spot, her heart pounding like a drum, holding Lami in her arms, her fingers unconsciously pinching Lami's soft body.

NingNing and Uchinaga Eri watched everything clearly from the side. The two exchanged a look, their eyes filled with "something's going on" and "we know everything but we're not saying anything."

Karina also heard those words. She kept her head down, pretending to time the steamer, but those two words—"company"—kept replaying in her mind.

At the company too...

Which company?

TG? Or...

She remembered that day when Jiang Zhiyu walked into SM Entertainment, the way he looked at those hallways, those practice rooms, those executives—it wasn't the gaze of a guest, nor a collaborator, but—

The gaze of a lion.

All of this will belong to me sooner or later.

That image, that look—kept flashing in her mind.

Karina's hand tightened slightly. She had a suspicion, one that even she thought was crazy. But she didn't dwell on it, nor did she ask.

Because she knew the most important thing right now wasn't this.

It was the Bubble live stream.

The lid of the steamer was lifted, a cloud of white steam billowed out, carrying a rich milky fragrance.

Karina carefully took out the bowl and placed it on the kitchen counter. The surface of the double-layer milk pudding in the bowl was smooth as a mirror, trembling slightly, exuding an enticing sheen.

She picked up her phone and took one last photo—a close-up of the finished product, with a strawberry placed beside it as decoration.

Caption—

Korean: 드디어 완성! (Finally finished!)

Chinese: Give it a try? It's not like I made it especially for you or anything!

English: Try it? It's not like I made it for you or anything.

After sending it, she picked up that bowl of double-layer milk pudding, scooped a spoonful, and put it in her mouth.

The milky fragrance melted on her tongue, sweet but not cloying, the texture delicate and smooth.

She closed her eyes, the corners of her mouth slowly lifting.

Success.

The comment section went completely wild.

"The finished product photo! It looks so delicious!"

"That strawberry decoration is too cute!"

"She ate it! She smiled! Success!"

"Karina succeeded on her first try making dessert? She's a genius!"

"When does the double-layer milk pudding shop open? I'll go queue up!"

Karina looked at those comments, the smile on her face impossible to suppress.

She looked up, towards Jiang Zhiyu.

Jiang Zhiyu was leaning against the kitchen island, looking at her, a smile at the corner of his mouth.

In that gaze was approval, relief, and something else she couldn't quite read.

Karina's face flushed slightly. She lowered her head, pretending to read the comments.

The trending searches started climbing.

#Karina Double-Layer Milk Pudding#

#Not Like I Made It For You#

#Tsundere Karina#

#Karina Wants To Surprise Me#

Keyword after keyword appeared on the trending charts, their rankings constantly rising. Jiang Zhiyu looked at the data and nodded in satisfaction. The prospects of this model seemed quite good.

The next steps were simple. For every step Karina took, she took a photo. When pouring the milk, a photo showing her hands. When beating the eggs, a close-up of separating the egg whites. When pouring the milk into the bowl, a photo with steam rising. Each photo was accompanied by text, each passage carrying that tsundere tone of "I want to make dessert for you but I'm too embarrassed to admit it."

[Karina: The milk needs to be heated until small Bubbles appear... so hard to control the heat...]

[Karina: The egg whites and yolks need to be separated... the egg whites are so slippery, they almost fell on the floor!]

[Karina: Pouring the milk into the egg whites... need to stir slowly, can't rush...]

[Karina: Steaming it now... need to wait fifteen minutes... so long...]

The fans watched with great interest. "Karina, take your time, no rush!" "I could watch this tutorial a hundred times!" "Karina looks so cute when she's serious!" "Even though we can't see her face, just her hands are enough for me to look at all day!"

Jiang Zhiyu thought for a moment, opened his phone, found the instrumental version of aespa's yet-to-be-released digital single "Warm Coffee." Clicked play.

The sound of piano flowed from the phone, soothing, warm, like holding a cup of warm coffee on an autumn afternoon. Karina paused, looking up at him. Jiang Zhiyu didn't say anything, just placed the phone by the kitchen counter, letting the music continue to flow.

Kim Minjeong listened to the melody, her eyes lighting up. "This is... our new song?" Jiang Zhiyu nodded. "Instrumental version, not released yet." NingNing also leaned in, listening closely. "So nice..." Uchinaga Eri nodded gently. "A warm feeling."

Jiang Zhiyu looked at them and smiled. "A little pre-release for the comeback single, perfect timing." He turned the volume up a bit, letting the melody of the music fill the entire kitchen.

The piano notes flowed as Karina stood before the kitchen counter, waiting for the double-layer milk pudding in the pot to steam. Listening to the melody, the tension in her heart slowly dissipated. Not because the music was particularly beautiful, but because—he was there. He stood there, leaning against the kitchen island, watching her, listening to the music, a smile at the corner of his mouth. She suddenly felt that even if the double-layer milk pudding failed, it wouldn't be such a big deal.

Twenty minutes later, the double-layer milk pudding was done steaming. She opened the lid, a milky white steam rushed out, carrying a rich sweet fragrance. As the steam cleared, the double-layer milk pudding in the bowl was revealed. The surface was slightly wrinkled, tinged with a faint milky yellow color, looking... maybe okay?

"Time's up!" Kim Minjeong was the first to rush over, looking at the white, tender pudding in the bowl, practically drooling.

Karina leaned in for a closer look, then looked again, uncertainly turning her head towards Jiang Zhiyu. "Oppa, this... is it a success?"

"Unnie, can we eat it now?" Karina glanced at Jiang Zhiyu. Jiang Zhiyu walked over, gently scooped with a spoon—the double-layer milk pudding was smooth and delicate, trembling slightly when scooped, like a piece of warm, smooth white jade. He took a taste, then nodded. "It's ready, tastes good."

Karina's eyes instantly lit up. "Really?" Jiang Zhiyu nodded. "Although the presentation is average, for a first attempt, this is already very good."

Karina was so happy she almost jumped. She picked up her phone, took a close-up photo of the double-layer milk pudding, with the caption—

[Karina: It's out of the pot! Looks pretty good... right? Whatever, I think it's delicious anyway! Hmph!]

The comment section was instantly flooded with a large number of fans. "It looks so delicious!" "If Karina made it, it must be tasty!" "That 'Hmph'! I want to scream every time I see it!" "Karina, take a bite and let us see!"

Karina looked at those comments, thought for a moment, then picked up a spoon, scooped a mouthful, and put it in her mouth.

The milky fragrance spread on the tip of her tongue, sweet but not cloying, the texture dense. Her eyes lit up. "Delicious!" She couldn't help but scoop another spoonful.

Kim Minjeong immediately pounced over. "I want some, I want some!"

NingNing also came over. "Me too!" Uchinaga Eri, though she didn't pounce, noticeably quickened her steps.

Karina looked at their eager, greedy expressions and couldn't help but laugh. She divided it into several small bowls and handed them out. Kim Minjeong took a bowl, scooped a big spoonful, and put it in her mouth—then her eyes lit up. "So—so—good!" Her voice changed pitch, her whole person looking blissful as if about to float away. "This milk skin! This texture! Amazing!"

NingNing also took a taste, nodding repeatedly. "Karina Unnie, was this really your first time? This is way too delicious!" Uchinaga Eri didn't speak, but her slightly narrowed eyes and continuously reaching spoon said it all.

Karina watched them eating happily, then scooped a spoonful for herself and put it in her mouth—hmm, it really was good. She looked up towards Jiang Zhiyu. He was leaning against the wall, looking at her, a trace of a smile at the corner of his mouth. That gaze was as gentle as autumn sunlight.

Karina's heart skipped a beat. She lowered her head, pretending to eat the double-layer milk pudding. But the slightly upturned corners of her mouth were impossible to suppress.

She picked up her phone and recorded another short video. Facing the camera, she scooped a spoonful of double-layer milk pudding, put it in her mouth, her eyes squinting happily. "Delicious," she said, then gave the camera a bright smile. "Next time... I'll make it for you again."

Send.

The comment section completely exploded. "Karina!!! Are you talking to me?!" "'Next time I'll make it for you again'—I'll wait! I'd wait a lifetime!" "That smile! I'm dead, I'm dead, I'm dead!" "Karina, are you in love?! This tone sounds too much like it!" "Upstairs, shut up! Karina is talking to my!" "Right! It's to me! I'm that 'you'!"

The trending searches continued to climb.

#Karina Double-Layer Milk Pudding Success#

#Next Time I'll Make It For You Again#

#Karina Tsundere Live Stream#

#aespa Warm Coffee Instrumental#

Jiang Zhiyu looked at those trending search terms and nodded in satisfaction. This model was even better than expected. Fan engagement, topic extensibility, sustainability of trending searches—all exceeded expectations. He looked towards Karina. She was surrounded by Kim Minjeong, NingNing, and Uchinaga Eri, laughing and fooling around, her face filled with a pure, unadulterated happiness.

He smiled.

Outside the window, the rain was still falling, but inside the kitchen, it was as warm as spring. The piano notes were still flowing, the fragrance of double-layer milk pudding still lingered in the air. And the story was still continuing.

It was also the night that the "Tsundere Karina" persona was officially born.