19: Chapter 19 Was that you last night?

Late at night in Seoul, by the roadside a block away from M2 Bar.

The streetlights flickered, casting Liu Zijun's long shadow.

He burst out of the bar, and the noise and wailing behind him were completely cut off by the heavy glass doors.

He reached up to tug at his blood-spattered sleeve and hailed a taxi.

After giving the address, he leaned back in his seat and rubbed his shoulder.

He could feel a sharp pain through his clothes; he'd been struck by a club during the chaos of his exit because he was trying to avoid hitting a female customer.

But this minor injury was nothing more than an itch to him; the bullets he’d taken on the battlefield in his past life were much worse than this.

As the taxi sped through the night, Liu Zijun watched the neon streetlights flash by, deep in thought.

Between the Choi Jae-ho mentioned by Kim Dong-wook and that so-called "influential person," it seemed the undercurrents surrounding Choi Sulli were even more turbulent than he had imagined.

These female idols in this perverted country were truly pitiable.

Yet, countless girls still rushed in like moths to a flame.

By the time he returned home, it was already two in the morning.

Liu Zijun took off his blood-stained jacket, walked into the bathroom, and removed his shirt in front of the mirror.

His right shoulder was indeed swollen.

He didn't care much, took a shower, and went to bed.

At seven in the morning, Liu Zijun woke up right on time, the soreness in his shoulder not affecting his movements in the slightest.

He changed into a black turtleneck to hide the bruise on his shoulder, threw on a dark gray overcoat, and headed out with his car keys.

When the van arrived at the f(x) dorm, Han Jaeran was already there, and the girls were just stepping out of the elevator with their bags.

Their timing was impeccable.

Choi Sulli saw him and immediately waved and ran over with a smile.

"Oppa, you're here so early!"

She skipped toward the passenger seat, but after seeing Han Jaeran glance at her, she obediently sat in the back.

Once inside, she handed Liu Zijun a cup of hot milk.

"I bought this for you. Drinking this in the morning will warm your stomach."

Liu Zijun took the milk, feeling a warmth in his heart. "Thank you, Jin-ri."

The others were no longer surprised that Liu Zijun always called her Jin-ri instead of Sulli.

Victoria Song, Krystal Jung, and the others boarded the van one after another, and the cabin instantly became lively.

Amber Liu leaned in and asked, "Joon oppa, did you not sleep well last night? You look a bit tired."

Liu Zijun chuckled. "I'm fine, it's nothing."

As the car drove toward SBS Television Station, Choi Sulli chattered away to Liu Zijun about the rehearsal schedule for the year-end Gayo Daejeon.

So many groups would be participating; her eyes sparkled with anticipation.

Liu Zijun listened quietly, nodding occasionally. His gaze frequently swept over her cheeks, which were slightly red from the cold, and he quietly turned up the air conditioning.

Even though it was early, the entrance to SBS Television Station was already crowded with fans holding up various support signs, hoping to catch a glimpse of their idols.

Liu Zijun parked the car in the underground garage and led the girls of f(x) through the staff entrance, avoiding fans and reporters along the way until they reached the backstage dressing room area.

As soon as he stepped into the hallway, Liu Zijun was dazzled by the scene before him.

Members of various girl groups in ornate performance outfits and high heels were shuttling through the corridor.

Red velvet, shimmering sequins, exquisite makeup, and a sea of fair, long legs... it was truly... nice.

SISTAR, miss A...

Familiar and completely unknown girl groups passed by him one by one. The air was thick with the scent of perfume and hairspray, mixed with the shouts of makeup artists and the laughter of idols, making it as bustling as a wet market.

"Wow, there are so many people today!"

Choi Sulli couldn't help but exclaim, tightly holding the hands of Victoria Song and Krystal Jung.

Liu Zijun followed behind them to the f(x) dressing room. He leaned against the doorframe in the hallway, his gaze wandering over the passing artists, unable to help feeling contemplative.

The entertainment industry in The Peninsula truly pushed the youth and beauty of young girls to the limit—and the temptation as well.

His gaze swept through the crowd, but he didn't see T-ara anywhere, and his heart sank slightly.

Before coming to The Peninsula, he had looked up this girl group; their recent situation was very poor.

Han Jaeran was busy coordinating the rehearsal schedule for the girls. As he passed by, Liu Zijun stopped him.

"Brother Jaeran, I don't see anyone from T-ara today?"

Hearing this, Han Jaeran sighed and lowered his voice. "T-ara shouldn't be rehearsing today. Since the Bullying Scandal broke out, most of their activities have been cut, and many of their year-end stages were canceled."

He paused and added, "People here in The Peninsula naturally detest bullying. Regardless of the truth, public opinion has already nailed them to a pillar of shame."

As the leader, Park Soyeon even got into a car accident a few months ago, but she resumed activities after only a few days of rest just to maintain their popularity.

They've been under a lot of pressure lately."

Liu Zijun fell silent, remembering Park Soyeon's haggard appearance at the funeral in Busan.

If Choi Soo-myung knew his first love had fallen to this state, he would probably be furious.

Han Jaeran asked curiously, "Ji-Jun, why did you suddenly ask about them? Are you a fan?"

Liu Zijun said indifferently, "It's nothing, just asking."

Han Jaeran didn't think much of it and patted his shoulder. "I'll get back to work then. It'll take a while for the girls to finish their makeup, so I need to keep a close eye on things."

Liu Zijun nodded. Watching Han Jaeran walk away, his gaze swept over the bustling backstage once more.

The glamour here was always just on the surface; the heartache and helplessness behind it were known only to those within it.

He declined Choi Sulli's request to come in and sit down. Suddenly, he felt like having a cigarette; since arriving in The Peninsula, he hadn't smoked a single one.

Bored, he watched the long legs passing by in the corridor, stroking his chin with his fingers.

They were pretty, but after watching for a while, he grew tired of it.

Just then, a slender figure suddenly walked up to him, accompanied by a faint scent of perfume.

Liu Zijun looked up to see Im Yoona dressed in casual clothes, her makeup still as exquisite as a porcelain doll's. She wasn't performing, but she was looking at him with a frown.

Wasn't Im Yoona a host for KBS Television Station this year?

Wasn't she busy?

"Mr. Liu Zijun, could you come with me for a moment?"

Im Yoona's voice wasn't loud, and although it was a question, it carried a tone that brooked no refusal.

Liu Zijun raised an eyebrow, not really wanting to bother, but seeing many eyes on them, he had no choice but to follow her to the fire exit at the end of the corridor.

There were no lights here, only the faint shimmer of light coming through the window.

Im Yoona turned around, leaning against the cold wall, her eyes fixed on Liu Zijun.

She got straight to the point: "The person who caused that scene at M2 Bar last night—it was you, wasn't it?"

Liu Zijun's eyes narrowed slightly; he hadn't expected Im Yoona to have seen him there.

But he still nodded, though his entire aura turned much colder.

If necessary, he wouldn't mind having another woman's life on his hands!