41: Chapter 41 The older sister arrived later

In Liu Zijun's duplex apartment, the entrance light cast a warm yellow glow.

He raised a hand to rub the space between his brows, walked to the bar, and poured himself a glass of whiskey.

He pulled up Son Ye-jin's chat window on his phone and sent her the apartment's specific address.

As he put down his phone, it was already ten o'clock at night.

In the distance, the lights of the Han River meandered through the night like a river of stars; it was indeed very beautiful.

The heating in the apartment was turned up high, and the original loneliness had faded a bit due to the arrival of the two girls earlier.

Liu Zijun walked over to the sofa and sat down, leaning against the soft leather. He watched a variety show on TV—it was "Running Man," a Korean variety show he had seen a few episodes of in his past life because Choi Soo-myung dragged him into it.

After watching for a while, his gaze fell on the two glass cups on the coffee table, the ones Choi Sulli and Victoria Song had just used.

He recalled Choi Sulli's reluctant look when she left, and the corners of his mouth curled up unconsciously. This girl was truly becoming more and more clingy.

How could he not know how she felt about him?

But how was he supposed to leave without hurting her when the time came?

About twenty minutes later, a soft knock came from the entrance, the rhythm light and carrying a hint of caution.

Liu Zijun went to open the door. Standing outside was Son Ye-jin, wrapped in a beige long down jacket with a scarf wound twice around her neck. She wore a mask, revealing only her beautiful eyes, and held an insulated bag in her hand.

"Why did you take so long to open the door?"

Son Ye-jin's voice carried a hint of a playful reproach.

After speaking, her gaze immediately fell on his left shoulder. When she saw the thick gauze, her brows furrowed instantly, her eyes filled with worry.

"How is the wound? Does it still hurt?"

Without waiting for Liu Zijun's response, she walked straight into the house, took off her down jacket, and tossed it onto the sofa.

She reached out wanting to touch his shoulder but was afraid of hurting him; her hand hung in mid-air, her eyes full of heartache.

Liu Zijun closed the door and couldn't help but smile seeing her like this.

"I'm not that fragile. It's just a flesh wound. The doctor said it'll be fine after resting for a while."

Son Ye-jin placed the insulated bag on the bar and took out an exquisite food container. Once opened, it revealed thick, simmered pork rib soup.

"I stewed this specifically for you to nourish your body."

As she spoke, she looked around, then went to the kitchen to get a bowl, ladled some soup, and handed it to Liu Zijun.

She said in an unquestionable tone, "Drink it quickly. You need nutrition for the wound to recover."

Liu Zijun took the soup bowl. The warm liquid slid down his throat, and the warmth spread to his entire body.

Watching Son Ye-jin busying herself, a complex emotion welled up in his heart.

This woman was truly gentle and always managed to provide warmth through small details.

Son Ye-jin sat opposite him, resting her chin on her hands as she watched him drink the soup. Her face, belonging to the original 'Pure Goddess,' was extremely exquisite.

The worry in her eyes gradually dissipated, replaced by a bit of teasing: "You're quite something, going to Japan as security and still managing to get injured. When I saw the news, I knew it was you just from the silhouette. After checking with Sooyoung, I was scared to death."

Liu Zijun put down the soup bowl and wiped the corner of his mouth, saying, "It was just an accident. No one expected something to go wrong with the stage."

Son Ye-jin asked, "What about Im Yoona? Is she okay?"

Her tone carried a hint of curiosity.

Liu Zijun said flatly, "She's fine, just a bit shaken up."

At the mention of Im Yoona, he remembered that girl's reddened eyes as she looked at his wound in the Japanese hospital that morning, and he sighed inwardly.

Son Ye-jin looked at his expression and gave a soft huff: "You're quite the protector—first Choi Sulli, then Im Yoona. Why don't you know how to protect yourself?"

As soon as she finished speaking, she was pulled into Liu Zijun's embrace, his warm breath blowing against her ear.

Son Ye-jin's body trembled slightly. She then raised her hands to avoid his left shoulder, hooked them around his neck, and the reproach in her eyes turned into tenderness.

She had originally intended to resist to the death, but Liu Zijun felt a bit irritable and also had some desire.

How could Son Ye-jin be a match for this bull?

The night deepened, the curtains were closed, and the dim yellow light in the apartment instantly became intimate.

(The third time, right? Skipping the plot here.)

After an unknown amount of time, Son Ye-jin leaned weakly in Liu Zijun's arms. Her fingertips lightly brushed across his chest, avoiding the wound, her voice carrying a trace of lazy hoarseness.

"Your body really isn't affected by the wound at all."

Liu Zijun lowered his head to kiss her forehead and said with a smile in his voice, "I still have more than enough to deal with you. I'm not finished yet!"

Son Ye-jin gave him a light punch. She had been mostly proactive today, and it was a huge drain on her energy.

After a long while, Son Ye-jin was completely limp. It took a while before she got up to go to the living room for water. Her gaze swept over the two glass cups on the coffee table, and her eyebrows twitched slightly.

"Have these cups been used by someone?"

Liu Zijun leaned back on the sofa and said softly while looking at her back, "Yeah, it was Sulli and Victoria Song. They insisted on seeing me home and stayed for a bit."

Son Ye-jin picked up one of the cups, her fingertips stroking the rim, a flash of complex emotion in her eyes.

"Choi Sulli? She's becoming more and more clingy toward you."

Liu Zijun explained, "She's young and just lost a loved one. It's normal for her to depend on me."

Son Ye-jin put down the cup, then took a new one for herself, poured some warm water, and sat down beside him.

After a few seconds of silence, she asked, "I heard from Sooyoung that you're hosting a Housewarming Feast tomorrow?"

Liu Zijun nodded: "Sulli insisted on following The Peninsula's customs, saying a move should be celebrated. She even invited members of f(x) and Girls Generation."

With a hint of slyness in her eyes, Son Ye-jin suddenly said, "Oh? Then I want to come too."

Liu Zijun was stunned for a moment, then laughed: "Sure, but it'll be a group of young girls. Aren't you afraid of feeling out of place?"

Son Ye-jin leaned in close, cupping his cheeks with both hands, and said huffily, "Are you saying you think I'm old? Yeah, I'm 31 this year.

But I am your noona. Is it not okay for me to attend your Housewarming Feast?"

She paused, then added as if comforting herself, "Don't worry, I'll play the role of a close noona well and won't let others see anything unusual.

But you'll have to call me noona!"

Liu Zijun looked at her and said with a hint of confusion, "You don't need to wrong yourself like this. Our relationship isn't something shameful."

"You know, I've never thought about hiding it."

Son Ye-jin's eyes dimmed a bit. She leaned against Liu Zijun's shoulder and said softly, "It's not that you're shameful, it's that I'm afraid."

Liu Zijun raised his right hand to stroke her long hair and asked, "What are you afraid of?"

Son Ye-jin's voice carried a trace of bitterness.

"I'm a public figure. My every move is watched by the media. If I'm caught being too close to you, it won't just affect my acting career; it'll also bring trouble to you and Sulli.

Sulli is still a minor. If it's dug up that she's close to you, it won't be good for her reputation either.

You care about her the most, don't you?"

She raised her head, looked into Liu Zijun's eyes, and said seriously, "I don't care what others think of me, but I care about you. I don't want you to fall into unnecessary trouble because of me."

Looking at the seriousness in her eyes, Liu Zijun's heart stirred slightly.

Son Ye-jin looked into his eyes and suddenly said in a joking tone, "If you're willing to stay in The Peninsula, admit you're my boyfriend, and marry me, then I won't be afraid of anything!"

Liu Zijun fell silent, the word scumbag appearing above his forehead.

On the surface, Son Ye-jin didn't change at all, but the trace of disappointment in her eyes was still obvious.

"It's okay! I'm just joking, don't take it seriously!"

Liu Zijun rubbed her hair, his tone softening considerably.

"If you're free tomorrow afternoon, you can come over, but don't wrong yourself too much."

Son Ye-jin smiled, her radiance returning once more.

"I won't wrong myself. Tomorrow I'll bring the best red wine and show those little girls who knows you best."

She leaned in Liu Zijun's arms, listening to his steady heartbeat, her heart full of peace.

She knew this man had Choi Sulli in his heart, and all she could do was be by his side, silently accompanying him, being his fallback, being his harbor.

The snow was still falling outside, but the heating in the apartment kept the cold at bay.

The two slept leaning against each other.