136: Chapter 136 Jessica, You Can Do It!

The cheers from Kyung Hee University's festival continued, but Liu Zijun stepped out of the venue after T-ara's performance ended.

The evening breeze carried the slight chill of early summer; as it brushed past his cheeks, he could still smell the lingering scent of youth in the air.

On the main road, many students were still gathered in small groups, making a commotion.

Walking slowly along the campus path, the streetlights stretched his shadow very long—lonely, but not desolate.

He pulled out his phone and took a look. The message from Son Ye-jin remained from the afternoon: "Ji-Jun, I have an appointment tonight. I'll call you when it's over."

Meanwhile, Im Yoona and Choi Sulli had already mentioned they had schedules.

All three women were busy with their own careers, which gave him a rare bit of time to himself tonight.

With no intention of heading straight back to the apartment, Liu Zijun put on his helmet, hopped on his motorcycle, and arrived at a bar not far from the apartment.

It was a famous but not particularly rowdy lounge bar. The lights were dim and yellow, and the music was soothing, making it a suitable place for a person to quietly have a few drinks.

Pushing open the door, a faint aroma of alcohol mixed with fragrance wafted toward him.

There were quite a few people in the bar, mostly sitting in pairs talking in low voices or sitting alone at the bar sipping drinks.

Liu Zijun found a booth in the corner, took off his jacket to drape it over the back of the chair, and raised his hand to beckon a waiter.

"A glass of single malt whisky, with ice."

The waiter nodded in acknowledgement and turned to leave.

Liu Zijun leaned back against the chair, his gaze casually sweeping over the bar's decor.

Vintage vinyl record posters hung on the walls, and an old-fashioned record player in the corner was slowly spinning, letting out lazy jazz music.

Lately, first there was the trip to New Zealand, then the storm caused by Lee Seung-gi, followed by the preparations for T-ara's comeback; things had come one after another, and it was rare to have such a peaceful moment.

Life in this lifetime was indeed completely different from his previous one!

Once, he thought his life would only be accompanied by bullets and missions.

He never expected to be completely tied down by that girl's smile and her reliance on him.

Liu Zijun smiled, picked up the glass, and took a light sip.

He drank slowly, occasionally rubbing the rim of the glass with his hand, looking blankly at the large screen in the bar.

The atmosphere was neither noisy nor rowdy; everything was just right.

Just then, a slight commotion came from the bar entrance.

The bar management led a man and a woman inside.

The man wore a well-tailored dark grey suit and had meticulously combed hair.

The woman beside him wore a light pink Chanel-style suit with her long hair down, revealing her delicate collarbones. Who could it be but Jessica Jung?

Liu Zijun's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly before returning to calm.

He picked up his glass and took a sip, his gaze not lingering, as if he had merely seen two irrelevant strangers.

The man was clearly a regular at this bar; the waiter immediately greeted them and respectfully led the two to a relatively secluded booth.

As Jessica Jung sat down, she subconsciously looked around the bar. When her gaze swept across the corner, it happened to briefly meet Liu Zijun's eyes.

Her body stiffened instantly, and a flash of panic crossed her eyes, as if she hadn't expected to run into him here.

He sees me here with another man; he won't overthink it, will he?

But that panic lasted only a moment before she suppressed it, replacing it with a deliberate coldness.

She turned her head, gave the man in the suit a professional smile, and began discussing something.

Liu Zijun saw all of this but didn't care at all.

He knew Jessica Jung was still obsessed with her fashion brand, and he knew that man was Kwon Young-il.

He was a partner she wanted to negotiate with lately.

Krystal had advised her before, and Im Yoona and the others had also given her subtle warnings.

But this Ice Princess had a very stubborn personality; once she set her mind on something, she wouldn't look back until she hit a dead end.

Kwon Young-il seemed to be introducing something to Jessica Jung, gesturing from time to time with an attentive tone.

Jessica Jung listened very seriously, occasionally nodding in response, her eyes sparkling with ambition and visions for the future.

She leaned forward slightly, her posture polite but carrying a hint of imperceptible urgency; she clearly valued Kwon Young-il's channels highly.

Liu Zijun withdrew his gaze and continued drinking his alcohol.

Regarding Jessica Jung's choices, he didn't want to interfere anymore.

Everyone has their own path to walk. Since she insisted on venturing out, let her try.

He just knew in his heart that the waters of the capital circles were far deeper than she imagined.

A person like Kwon Young-il never acts without profit; to succeed through him, the price to be paid would likely not be small.

Another glass hit the bottom. Liu Zijun raised his hand to order another, but saw Jessica Jung stand up and walk toward the restroom.

When she passed Liu Zijun's booth, her footsteps paused for a moment, and she gave him a look filled with complex emotions.

Liu Zijun kept his head down, fingers rubbing the empty glass, with no intention of greeting her at all, as if she were just an insignificant breeze.

This attitude of being ignored was like a thorn that instantly stung Jessica Jung.

She was already holding in a lot of frustration—the argument with Krystal at the apartment, being treated coldly by Liu Zijun, and now seeing him act as if she didn't exist at all—a surge of nameless anger instantly welled up in her heart.

She took a deep breath and clenched her hands at her sides, her nails almost digging into her palms.

The disdain in Liu Zijun's voice when he said "not interested in you" flashed through her mind, along with the tenderness he showed when protecting Choi Sulli and Im Yoona.

Why? Why could he cherish Choi Sulli and Im Yoona so much, yet hold her in such contempt?

Doesn't he think she can't make a fashion brand work?

Doesn't he think she can't leave SM, can't leave Girls Generation?

She insisted on proving it to him. She, Jessica Jung, could carve out a world for herself with her own abilities.

When the time came, she would make him look at her in a new light; she would let him know how ridiculous his initial contempt was.

Jessica Jung's gaze gradually became firm. The previous hint of panic and uncertainty vanished without a trace, replaced by the light of stubbornness and refusal to lose.

She straightened her back, didn't give Liu Zijun another look, and turned to walk quickly toward the restroom.

In the mirror, the woman's face was still slightly flushed, but her eyes burned with fighting spirit.

Jessica Jung raised her hand to tidy the stray hairs at her temples and said softly to herself in the mirror, "Jessica, you can do it."

She wouldn't shrink back because of Liu Zijun's contempt; instead, she would use that contempt as motivation.

She would create the best fashion brand and stand at a higher place, making everyone who looked down on her see her in a different light.

Especially Liu Zijun. She would definitely make him regret his attitude toward her, make him regret his contempt.

Having composed her emotions, Jessica Jung took a deep breath and turned to walk out of the restroom.

When passing Liu Zijun's booth, she still didn't stop, returning to her seat with steady steps.

Seeing her return, Kwon Young-il asked with a smile, "Why were you gone so long?"

Jessica Jung responded with a smile, her tone even firmer than before.

"I felt a bit unwell, but I'm fine now."

"Young-il Oppa, about the details of the channels you mentioned, let's talk more carefully."

Watching this scene, Liu Zijun picked up the fourth glass of whisky that had just been delivered and swirled it gently.

He could feel the competitive streak in Jessica Jung, but he still didn't take it to heart.

He and the people around her had already warned her many times, but she wouldn't listen.

Everyone has their own obsessions. The wall she wanted to run into, she would have to hit it herself before she would be satisfied.

After finishing his sixth glass of alcohol, he stood up, grabbed his jacket, settled the bill, and silently left the bar.

Stepping out of the bar, the evening breeze blew, and much of the alcohol's effect dissipated.

Liu Zijun looked up at the night sky; stars were sparsely hung on the ink-blue canopy.

He pulled out his phone and sent a message to Choi Sulli: "Is your schedule finished? Rest early."

Just as the message was sent, he received an instant reply from Choi Sulli.

"It just finished! Oppa, where are you? Are you missing me?"

Looking at the coquettish text on the screen, a gentle smile curved at the corners of Liu Zijun's mouth.

This girl is still the obedient one.