182: Chapter 182 A Dinner with Malicious Intent

The final list of spokespersons for the two countries' cultural and tourism cooperation project was officially announced three days after the banquet ended.

Once the news was released, it instantly set the entertainment industry of The Peninsula ablaze.

With public welfare endorsements, high popularity in both countries, and the implicit support of Lin Wanrou, Choi Sulli secured one of the spots without any suspense, which was within everyone's expectations.

The other female spokesperson spot did not fall to Girls Generation or other top-tier girl group members as the outside world had speculated; instead, it was claimed by the actress Son Ye-jin.

The official reason given was that "Son Ye-jin possesses both national recognition and a positive screen image, making her a better fit for the deep communication needs of cultural and tourism cooperation."

The final spot was awarded to the male actor from The Peninsula, Gong Yoo. The spokesperson lineup formed by the three, which combined trending popularity with established reputations, quickly gained widespread recognition from netizens of both countries.

When the news arrived, Son Ye-jin was on the set of her new drama. Upon receiving the message from her Manager, she froze for a full three seconds, and then an irrepressible joy welled up in her eyes.

Choi Sulli even made a video call immediately. The young girl on the screen was wearing cute loungewear, jumping up and down in excitement.

"Yejin Unnie! Congratulations! We'll be able to participate in activities in China together from now on!"

Im Yoona also sent a message full of sincere blessings; she didn't feel much disappointment.

She even teased Son Ye-jin about treating them to a meal. The few of them shared this joy through their screens, the atmosphere warm and enthusiastic.

Liu Zijun looked at Choi Sulli and smiled.

Suddenly his phone rang, with the name "Park Ji-yeon" flashing on the screen.

He raised an eyebrow and pressed the answer button. Park Ji-yeon's lively voice immediately came from the other end.

"Joon oppa! Are you busy?"

"I'm alright, what's up?"

"We, T-ara, have been busy with our new album comeback, but we've finally found some time!"

"We've wanted to treat you to dinner for a long time to thank you for taking care of us, and today we finally have the chance! Are you free tonight, oppa?"

Liu Zijun thought about it. He really didn't have much going on lately, and T-ara's current popularity was indeed inseparable from his support, so a thank-you dinner was reasonable.

Without much thought, he readily agreed: "Sure, where is the location?"

"We chose a very secluded korean beef restaurant, the environment is fantastic! We'll be waiting for you at the shop at 7 PM!"

After Park Ji-yeon finished speaking, she didn't forget to add one more thing.

"Oppa you must come, we all miss you!"

Hanging up the phone, Liu Zijun turned to Choi Sulli and said, "T-ara is treating me to dinner tonight. If you have nothing to do, go to the gym by yourself."

Choi Sulli nodded, not thinking much of it, and said with a smile, "Okay, just don't let them get you drunk."

She also knew about the T-ara members' gratitude toward Liu Zijun.

At 7 PM in the evening, Liu Zijun arrived at the agreed korean beef restaurant on time.

The shop was hidden in a small alley with a low-key storefront. Pushing open the wooden door revealed a hidden gem inside: warm yellow lights, wooden tables and chairs, and traditional paintings hanging on the walls, all exuding a strong vintage charm.

The clerk led him to a private room on the second floor. The moment the door opened, the sounds of laughter and chatter immediately drifted out.

All six members of T-ara were present.

Park Soyeon, wearing a simple white shirt, sat in the corner. Seeing him enter, a polite smile appeared on her face, though there was a hint of imperceptible concern in her eyes.

Jeon Bo-ram, wearing a pink dress and still in her cute style, hurriedly stood up to greet him: "Liu Zijun, you're here!"

Ham Eun-jung and Park Hyomin also stood up to say hello. The two sat in the middle, one on each side, with looks of inquiry in their eyes.

Lee Ji-hyun was wearing a black slip dress that outlined her graceful curves.

Holding a wine glass, a charming smile curled at the corners of her mouth, and she stared straight at Liu Zijun with undisguised ambiguity.

"Liu Zijun, you're here."

Park Ji-yeon even rushed over directly, took his arm, and pulled him to the main seat to sit down, her tone intimate.

"Oppa, sit down, sit down! We ordered the marbled korean beef you like, and the Soju you enjoy!"

Liu Zijun calmly withdrew his arm and sat in the main seat. Glancing over everyone, he said with a smile, "Sorry, there was some traffic on the way. I kept you waiting."

Park Ji-yeon immediately waved her hand and enthusiastically poured him some Soju.

"It's good that you could come, oppa! We prepared this specifically for you today!"

The dishes were served quickly. The tender marbled korean beef sizzled on the grill, fat dripping down and the aroma wafting through the air.

Park Ji-yeon remained highly enthusiastic throughout, constantly picking up meat for Liu Zijun while chirping about the preparations for T-ara's new album.

From time to time, she would intentionally lean in close to him, the faint scent of her perfume lingering at the tip of his nose.

Park Ji-yeon took out her phone and leaned in front of Liu Zijun.

On the screen was T-ara's album cover. She specifically zoomed in on her solo shot, her eyes full of anticipation.

"Oppa, what do you think of our album cover this time? I think it looks amazing!"

Liu Zijun gave it a perfunctory glance, picked up a piece of grilled meat with his chopsticks, and said in a flat tone, "It's quite good, very recognizable."

Lee Ji-hyun see this, approached with her glass and lightly clinked it against his, making a crisp sound.

"Ji-Jun, thank you for taking care of us, T-ara, all this time. We'd like to toast you."

Her finger inadvertently brushed across the back of Liu Zijun's hand, leaving a slightly cool sensation.

Liu Zijun raised his glass, clinked it with hers, and tilted his head back to finish the wine in one gulp, ignoring her little gesture.

"It's only right; you've all worked very hard yourselves."

Park Soyeon sat to the side, her brow furrowing slightly as she watched her sisters' clearly tentative actions.

She wanted to speak up and interrupt several times, but was stopped each time by Park Hyomin's warning glance.

Park Hyomin raised her glass and said with a smile, "Oppa, T-ara wouldn't be where it is today without you."

"The previous injustices and the current resources were all fought for by you, oppa. We must toast you with this glass!"

Ham Eun-jung echoed, "That's right, oppa. Without you, we might still be struggling in the depths of our slump."

"If there's anything you need help with in the future, just say the word, oppa. We will definitely give it our all."

Liu Zijun smiled but didn't respond.

He could tell that today's dinner was not simple. Park Ji-yeon's excessive enthusiasm, Lee Ji-hyun's deliberate ambiguity, and Park Hyomin and Ham Eun-jung's indirect probing all carried an unusual undertone.

Only Park Soyeon had eyes full of concern, clearly disapproving of her sisters' actions.

After a few rounds of drinks, the atmosphere gradually became ambiguous.

Park Ji-yeon's cheeks were slightly flushed from drinking, and she became bolder. Suddenly, she leaned on Liu Zijun's shoulder and looked at him with sparkling eyes.

"Oppa, who do you think is the prettiest among the members of T-ara?"