32: Chapter 32 Lin Yoona is startled

After hanging up the phone with Choi Sulli, Liu Zijun held his phone and spun it between his fingers.

He had sensed something was off long ago.

From the moment he and Choi Sulli started talking about the Housewarming Feast on the phone, very light footsteps and breathing sounds had come from the corner of the hotel corridor.

The presence didn't leave; instead, it was deliberately lowered. The footsteps also carried the characteristic lightness of a young girl.

It wasn't hotel staff, nor was it the accompanying Manager.

He didn't need to guess to know who it was.

He slowly turned around, his gaze landing behind the corner of the hotel corridor, watching while casually sticking his hands in his pants pockets.

“Come out. Eavesdropping on someone else's phone call isn't polite behavior.”

The moment his voice fell, the breathing at the corner clearly paused for a beat.

Sure enough, after two seconds, a slender figure walked out.

Im Yoona was dressed in cream-white pajamas, revealing that impeccably exquisite face, her little deer-like eyes full of the embarrassment of being caught.

“I didn't mean to listen, I was just passing by and heard a voice here.

When I heard it was you on the phone with Sulli, I couldn't help myself.”

Her small face was slightly flushed. She first explained with some panic, then feigned composure.

She walked up to Liu Zijun, hands behind her back, and said with a slight tilt of her head, “But your ears are too sharp. I clearly lightened my breathing.”

Her tone still carried her usual liveliness, but her eyes unconsciously flickered toward Liu Zijun's phone. Clearly, she had heard most of the conversation just now.

Liu Zijun looked at her and didn't expose her little trick, only raising an eyebrow. “Speak. Why were you looking for me?”

Im Yoona stuck out her tongue and walked to Liu Zijun's side, leaning against the staircase railing.

She was silent for a few seconds before turning around. The smile on her face faded a bit, replaced by genuine worry.

“Joon oppa, Sulli seems to really rely on you right now.”

These words were like a pebble thrown into the calm lake of Liu Zijun's heart.

His gaze softened for an instant, then immediately returned to coldness.

“I know. I'll be mindful of the boundaries. It's just that she's still young and the problem hasn't been solved yet, so I won't be leaving for the time being.”

Im Yoona was startled. “Leaving? You're going to leave?”

Liu Zijun nodded. His fingers moved subconsciously, only to realize he had no cigarettes.

“I'm ultimately not from The Peninsula, and I'm not from the same world as your entertainment circle. I have to leave eventually. What kind of person I am—haven't you already seen for yourself?”

Im Yoona's voice was very soft. “The way you fought people at M2 Bar really wasn't the way a normal bodyguard would act.

Sulli is young and pure-hearted. Regardless of whether she sees you as a replacement for Choi Soo-myung xi, at least she's pouring her heart out to you right now. If you leave, I'm afraid...”

She paused, bit her lip, and still spoke the words in her heart: “I'm afraid she'll end up getting hurt.”

Liu Zijun took a deep breath and said, “Regardless of whether Jinri sees me as a replacement, what you said is exactly what I'm worried about.”

Im Yoona looked at the lack of any pretense in Liu Zijun's eyes and said, “Is the problem behind Sulli really that serious?”

Liu Zijun nodded and said, “No matter how serious it gets in The Peninsula, it's just chaebols. Heh... Once I've investigated thoroughly, I will go solve it.”

Im Yoona was startled by his cold laugh and blurted out, “Will you kill people?”

Liu Zijun looked at her flatly. “I wouldn't rule it out!”

Im Yoona took two quick steps back, then for some reason suddenly plucked up the courage to step forward and ask, “Can you not do that? There are police, there are laws!”

“Im Yoona! In your Peninsula, for those true chaebols, are the police and laws useful? You're not a child anymore; don't be so naive.”

Im Yoona murmured something but was speechless.

The atmosphere became silent.

Im Yoona took a deep breath.

Frowning again, she asked, “Then why are you so cold to Hyo-yeon Eonni? Over these three days, although you haven't been warm to the rest of us, you've at least been polite. Only with Hyo-yeon Eonni, you don't even bother to speak.”

This question wasn't just Im Yoona being curious; the other members of Girls Generation had noticed it too, but no one was as direct as her in asking it out loud.

Liu Zijun's gaze instantly chilled a bit, and there was more scrutiny in his eyes as he looked at Im Yoona.

He hadn't wanted to mention this matter, as it involved Choi Jae-ho and Kim Hyoyeon's unintentional mistake, but since Im Yoona asked, he only hesitated for a moment.

“It's not that I have a problem with Kim Hyoyeon; it's that what she did makes it impossible for me to be too warm toward her.”

Im Yoona's eyes instantly widened. She subconsciously followed up, “What did Hyo-yeon Eonni do? She has a carefree personality. Although she sometimes speaks without thinking, she's definitely not someone who would offend people.”

“She didn't offend me, but she almost pushed Jinri into a fire pit.”

“Do you know Choi Jae-ho? The artist with the stage name Choiza. He's fourteen years older than Jinri. His family is in the shipping business, and his grandfather is a member of the National Assembly.”

Im Yoona nodded. She certainly knew Choi Jae-ho; he was quite well-known in the entertainment circle.

“I know him. Hyo-yeon Eonni seemed to have introduced Sulli to him at a drinking party before. What about it?”

Liu Zijun sneered and turned to look at Im Yoona. The chill in his eyes made her unable to stop a shiver.

“What about it? Choi Jae-ho had crooked intentions for Sulli. He wanted to ruin Sulli's reputation first, get her into trouble, and then appear as a protector to win her favor.

The anti-fan incident at Myeongdong Mall was orchestrated by the Wild Wolf Gang on Choi Jae-ho's orders.

And the reason you saw me at the bar that night was because I went looking for the Wild Wolf Gang.”

“What?!”

“How could Choi Jae-ho dare? Sulli is still a minor!”

Im Yoona cried out in surprise, covering her mouth, her eyes full of disbelief.

“What wouldn't he dare? Relying on his family's power, he's used to doing whatever he wants in the entertainment circle.”

“And Kim Hyoyeon was the one who pushed Jinri in front of him. Although it might have been unintentional—thinking she was just helping Sulli meet a senior—she didn't know that this action almost led Jinri to eternal damnation.”

Im Yoona stood frozen in place, unable to speak for a long time.

She never imagined that Kim Hyoyeon's unintentional mistake could have almost caused such a disaster.

She finally understood why Liu Zijun was so cold to Kim Hyoyeon. If it were her, she would probably be very angry too.

“Then... then what do you plan to do? Will you kill Choi Jae-ho?”

Im Yoona's voice carried a hint of trembling.

Liu Zijun's gaze became incredibly firm, with a trace of ruthlessness hidden within.

“I promised Soo-myung I would protect Jinri, so naturally I won't let Choi Jae-ho succeed. Whether openly or in the shadows, I will make sure Choi Jae-ho is ruined!”

He paused, his lips curling into a cold smile.

Looking at Liu Zijun like this, Im Yoona felt both shocked and afraid. This time, she truly backed away several steps in fear.

This version of Liu Zijun was so strange and so terrifying.

“You... will you really do that?”

“As you said, Choi Jae-ho's family is very powerful. Won't doing this bring trouble upon yourself?”

Im Yoona's voice was as small as a mosquito's buzz.

Liu Zijun scoffed and said, “Trouble? I will only become his trouble.

Choi Jae-ho's bit of power isn't worth mentioning at all.

The reason I haven't acted yet is just to let Jinri learn a lesson while also not scaring her!”

He walked up to Im Yoona, forcing her directly into a corner, looking at her as if she were a little lamb.

“Im Yoona, I told you long ago that I'm not a good person. I'm telling you again: my hands have been stained with blood, and my life is full of danger. Getting too close to me will only get you caught up in unnecessary trouble.

Jinri is only involved because she was already in the game; I have no choice, I must protect her. But as for you all...”

“It's best if you stay far away from me. This is my advice to you.”

Im Yoona looked into Liu Zijun's eyes. There wasn't the slightest hint of a joke in those eyes, only seriousness and warning.

A complex mix of emotions welled up in her heart: fear, terror, curiosity, and even a trace of inexplicable respect.

She knew that what Liu Zijun said was true. His world was completely different from theirs as artists living in the spotlight; it was a world full of darkness and danger that they couldn't even touch.

Yet she couldn't help but think that this Liu Zijun, who clearly seemed so cold and hard, was somehow so gentle toward Choi Sulli.

Im Yoona lowered her head and said softly, “I understand. I'll remind Sulli to be careful of Choi Jae-ho, and I'll tell the members to stay away from you. But...”

She looked up, a hint of stubbornness flashing in her eyes.

“You are very scary, but I still feel like you're not a bad person. At least for Sulli, you are her guardian god.”

Liu Zijun felt like laughing seeing Im Yoona's state of being overly terrified yet forcing herself to act calm.

“Think whatever you want.

Don't speak of Sulli's matters, don't mention them, and don't get involved.

It's getting late. You should go back to your room and rest. Don't you have a schedule tomorrow?”

Im Yoona nodded and walked toward the elevator. After a few steps, she looked back at Liu Zijun, wanting to say something, but she ultimately just walked back.