Huayu: Traffic is king

Chapter 177 Eyes Like Torches and Knives
"Hello, sisters, I'm Gu Jingyi."

Gu Jingyi still stood in front of that door; this was the backstage area for the Taipei Arena concert.

Girls' Generation is making their final comeback as an eight-person group, and they're on tour.

"Wait a moment," Tiffany said with a smile.

He gave Yoona a teasing look, and the maknae, who was known for her mischievousness and cunning, was no longer able to laugh.

Today, Yoona wore her hair in a bun, and her makeup was fresh and elegant, making her look very gentle.

"Your Little New Year is here, hahaha."

Kim Tae-yeon gave her signature "middle-aged woman" smile, clutching her stomach as she looked at Im Yoon-ah.

Who could have imagined that fortune would turn around like this?

Previously, Yoona teased her leader quite a bit during the "Taebaek Love" incident, and this is karma.

Kim Tae-yeon looked at Im Yoon-ah's embarrassed state, and her smile was harder to suppress than an AK.

You, Lim Yoona, have always prided yourself on being composed and classy.

You even laughed at me for dating someone younger, but aren't you the same way...?

Not long after, Tiffany's loud voice suddenly rang out.

"Children, Jingyi is here."

Tiffany ran downstairs, wearing a sequined stage outfit. After being altered, it was impossible to tell which brand it was. However, it still looked great on her. While Tiffany's looks weren't quite as striking as Jessica's within Girls' Generation, she was still considered top-tier.

She wore a pair of bright crescent-shaped short-sleeved shirt and shorts, her short hair was braided, her bangs were clearly carefully styled, her makeup was exquisite, and she wore a pair of white slippers. She looked very energetic.

"Gu Jingyi, what a rare guest!"

Choi Soo-young couldn't stop smiling when she saw Gu Jingyi. As a fellow "90s generation" member, she and Lim Yoon-ah had always had a good relationship.

She had even seen her friend's boyfriend, who was "keeping a mistress," once or twice in Yoona's car.

This is the first time I've seen Yoona, who's always been indifferent to relationships, kissing her younger boyfriend so passionately that she lost track of time.

This is insane, this isn't the usual Yoona.

For a moment, Choi Sooyoung even suspected that she had drunk too much, but she never suspected that Lim Yoona had been possessed.

She caught a glimpse of Gu Jingyi's profile in the window reflection, and although it was just a fleeting glimpse, it made her remember him as a top-tier handsome man.

Women are visual creatures; their feelings of love or not are quite obvious.

Soon, the news that Lin Yoona had found a younger man was spread in the group by "Big Mouth Choi".

Unexpectedly, the two broke up abruptly in the end.

Kim Tae-yeon squinted, her curiosity almost palpable when she saw Gu Jingyi.

"You are Guu..."

The tones and rhymes in Chinese can be difficult for South Koreans.

Kim Tae-yeon, speaking in oddly accented Chinese, smiled when she saw Gu Jingyi. She waved for him to come over, and only then did she get a clear look at Gu Jingyi's face.

Oh my god, he really is so handsome that her eyes lit up.

China is indeed a vast and resource-rich country; the quality of its handsome men alone is unmatched by South Korea, which relies on atmosphere and makeup.

Yoona's lips twitched; just by looking at this unnie, you could tell what she was thinking.

Standing next to Gu Jingyi, who is 1.58 meters tall, Kim Tae-yeon really looks like a tiny figurine. Even though Kim Tae-yeon is wearing high heels, she is still more than a head shorter than Gu Jingyi, but she has a strong aura and gives people a strange sense of dominance.

Sure enough, the next second, Kim Tae-yeon, who had just been squinting at Gu Jingyi, crossed her arms, looked him up and down, and then, with a boss-like air, gave a satisfied comment:

"He's good-looking and definitely has the looks to put Yoona in her place."

"Ah……"

Gu Jingyi couldn't laugh. Did this woman think he couldn't understand Korean?

Sensing a chill from the side, Gu Jingyi felt a tightness in his back.

Should he pretend he didn't understand, or just laugh it off?

I don't understand why Kim Tae-yeon would ridicule Im Yoona in front of me. With Yoona's intelligence, she could easily outmaneuver Kim Tae-yeon...

Besides, his looks have never needed to be judged by others; whether he's handsome or not is objective. Since his debut, no one has questioned his incredibly good-looking face.

Even the uniformly loose training clothes of "Clay Idol" couldn't withstand its power.

"Gu Jingyi, laugh if you want."

His Chinese was clear and articulate, without any awkwardness or accent.

Lin Yoona spoke softly, and only then did Gu Jingyi turn his gaze to her. At this moment, she had her hair in a bun, wearing a white shirt and light-colored jeans.

She still had light makeup on her face, and her eyes held a complex look as she looked at Gu Jingyi.

"Wow, Gu Jingyi can understand Korean?"

Even if Kim Tae-yeon didn't understand what Im Yoon-a was saying, she could guess the gist just from Im Yoon-a's expression.

She was truly embarrassed now, having unintentionally betrayed her teammate.

Yoona, you shouldn't be angry, right?

"Taeyeon unnie, have you forgotten that he once appeared on..."

"Produce 202? How could you not know Korean? You're overthinking it..."

Yoona was so angry she almost gritted her teeth. What could be more embarrassing than making a fool of herself in front of her ex after more than a year?

no?
Seeing that the atmosphere was getting tense, Sunny, who has a high EQ, stepped in to smooth things over.

"Okay, Jingyi, is this your first time being a guest performer at a concert?"

"Mm," Gu Jingyi nodded and answered with a smile.

"So what song will you be singing on stage today? Is it a Korean song or a Chinese song?"

Even Kwon Yuri became curious, and she put her arm around Lim Yoona with a mischievous smile.

"Of course it's an English song, it's a song I wrote and composed myself called 'Butter'."

When Gu Jingyi started talking about his work, he became very talkative.

"The lyrics and melody are both light and cheerful, which should bring a refreshing breeze to the audience."

Lin Yoona gave Gu Jingyi a meaningful look and asked in a drawn-out tone, "You mean 'Butter'?"

"It's the food product, the kind with a rich, creamy butter flavor."

Gu Jingyi noticed the fleeting amusement in Lin Yun'er's eyes and continued to add to the story.

"I know, I didn't deny what you said."

Lin Yoona's smile deepened as she glanced at Gu Jingyi. Then, she suddenly added, seemingly trying to cover up her misunderstanding, "So anyone who's thinking dirty thoughts should stand at attention and be punished. Making inferences is unacceptable."

Gu Jingyi “…”

Good news, his ex-girlfriend is 28 years old and still has a cunning mind, she really has a childlike heart.

Bad news, this woman seems genuinely angry.

However, Girls' Generation's Yoona has always been known for her high emotional intelligence.

Moreover, she's adept at creating a lively atmosphere and can exchange pleasantries with anyone. In any case, she ensures no one feels neglected.

Most importantly, she always has a faint smile on her lips, not the kind that's overly formulaic. When she speaks, she looks at people with her doe-like eyes, which naturally gives people a very sincere feeling.

Although everyone knows that she is actually just keeping the business running.

"Oh dear, Gu Jingyi. Look at you, why aren't you saying anything? Zhu Xian, go get him a glass of water. You're still young, you just can't keep things to yourself."

Lin Yoona covered her mouth in feigned surprise and pointed at Gu Jingyi with some curiosity.

Gu Jingyi, who was calling out "Yoona unnie," looked at Lin Yoona and was momentarily speechless.

He didn't really know whether he should be happy or troubled. Having been through many relationships, Gu Jingyi could obviously tell that Lin Yoona still had feelings for him. Otherwise, given Lin Yoona's exemplary standards of conduct...

She wouldn't put pressure on Gu Jingyi out of thin air; she could even chat and laugh with him.

It probably contained hatred, mixed with bittersweet love.

Gu Jingyi was the first man to make her feel defeated, and also the first time she was dumped...

Lin Yoona's gaze towards Gu Jingyi was sharp and piercing.

As if sensing the tense atmosphere between the two, the Girls' Generation members, who have been in the industry for many years, exchanged countless glances behind Yoona's back. They were all watching with amusement; a good show was about to begin.

"The water's here, what is it?" Seo Joo-hyun walked over with the water, finding the interaction between the two rather absurd.

What's going on? Did Yoona just find her standing in the way and send her away so she could flirt with Gu Jingyi?
When this idea came out, Seo Joo-hyun felt like the sky was falling.

What's this? So she became part of their game too...

"Yoona unnie, are you thirsty?"

Gu Jingyi, of course, noticed those gazes that seemed to want to stick to him and watch him have his fun.

He naturally grabbed Yoona's hand and handed it to her.

"Wow"

Tiffany gasped in surprise.

Soon, she felt Yoona's icy gaze.

The "Huang's Sound Pill" instantly went silent, and she obediently hugged Kim Tae-yeon.

"Sisters, shouldn't you go and take a look at the costumes and makeup?"

Although Yoona spoke gently, it inexplicably made people tremble.

"Ah, right, Yoona is right, let's go take a look."

"Yeah yeah"

All seven members went out, and the door to the waiting room closed gently.

"Nuna, I miss you."

Gu Jingyi walked around behind Lin Yun'er, resting his chin on her shoulder with a touch of longing. He spoke softly, inhaling the pleasant scent of her shampoo.

The single word "Nuna" completely shattered Yoona's composure.

Gu Jingyi's figure blurred before her eyes, and the sweetness from before surged into her heart again.

She squinted, momentarily unable to tell which one was him.

Is he the boy who was once a trainee in South Korea, or the radiant superstar he is now?

She couldn't help but reach out and hesitantly touch Gu Jingyi's face.

The once somewhat naive boy has grown up, his jawline becoming more defined. The faint sorrow in his eyes is gone, replaced by confidence.

No longer the one who was suppressed by YG and whose debut plans were repeatedly delayed.

They took their prospective teammates to commercial performances without any pay. The twelve boys ate cheap seaweed rice rolls, their backs bent from the weight of life. Even receiving just a few coupons and a few bags of rice, they had to bow deeply to thank the organizers. Wearing cheap, unglued rubber shoes and faded, old short-sleeved shirts, they were struggling to make ends meet—these were the working-class K-pop trainees.

Back then, Lin Yoona had to be very careful even when taking Gu Jingyi out to dinner or giving him gifts.

They had to both protect Gu Jingyi's self-esteem and improve his life.

She knew that Gu Jingyi had a lot of trouble with his family because of his debut, and his finances had been cut off.

She knew that Gu Jingyi was a foreign trainee and was being prepared as a "reserve captain". He was repeatedly rejected for various reasons during his debut, and was used as a stepping stone to exhaust his last bit of energy.

She knew that Gu Jingyi often said things he didn't mean, and that he was a thoughtful person who wouldn't express his negative emotions.

She always knew that Gu Jingyi had a very difficult time training in South Korea.

Memories of the past are like film reels, one frame after another surfacing in my mind.

With a lump in her throat, Lim Yoona said in a hoarse voice, "It's been so long since I've heard you call me that, I was a little surprised. I'm sorry for losing my composure."

"If you want to hear it, I can..."

Gu Jingyi was interrupted by Lin Yun'er before he could finish speaking.

"No, when you first came in, you called me Yoona unnie, not Yoona, and not Nuna."

"Huh?" Gu Jingyi was taken aback by her sudden seriousness.

"Aren't they all the same thing? Nuna also means older sister in Korean."

Gu Jingyi hesitated. He genuinely couldn't understand why it was always "older sister." Why was Lin Yoona so insistent? "Nuna" means "older sister" in Korean.

Although South Korea places extraordinary importance on politeness and seniority.

He had also heard some jokes about couples: A kindergarten teacher assigned the children an observation assignment, asking them to observe how their parents came home. Among a bunch of answers like "wife" and "darling," only one child's answer was completely unconventional.

"Nuna, I'm back..."

The tall man had just come home, changed his shoes, and then went to the kitchen to hug his wife affectionately…

"You know, the meanings of 'Yoona unnie' and 'Yoona jie' in Chinese are not as affectionate as 'Nuna' in Korean."

Lin Yoona looked at Gu Jingyi with a sorrowful gaze, as if she were about to weep.

In South Korea, where relationships between older women and younger men are common, the term "Nuna" can only be used between siblings or romantic partners.

Who knows how many people you've called "Sister XX" back in the country?

Yoona wrinkled her nose, looking somewhat displeased.

"Not many, mostly business partners."

Gu Jingyi laughed. He really didn't expect Lin Yoona to be jealous over a title.

"Really? So Dilraba, you don't call her Sister Dilraba either?"

Lin Yoona looked intently into Gu Jingyi's eyes, trying to discern whether he was lying.

"No, I'll either call her Teacher Reba or just Reba."

Where is Cheng Xiao?

"I'm only two months younger than her, why should I call her 'sister'?"

"Li Yitong is the female lead in your 'Like the Wind' music video."

"Teacher Tong"

Gu Jingyi remained completely calm; he was telling the truth.

"Okay, you're a pass."

Lin Yoona nodded with some satisfaction and gave Gu Jingyi a long-lost smile.

This is a matter of cultural difference. In China, the prevailing belief is that "you don't call younger women 'sister,' they're a bit wild."

Gu Jingyi's explanation could only fool Lin Yoona, a South Korean who claims to have "level 10 Chinese." If Tian Xiwei heard it, it would be like a series of landmines exploding.

The Chinese language is profound and complex; what seems to be without problems is actually the most problematic...

Lin Yoona finally got the answer to the question she most wanted to know, and she stroked Gu Jingyi's hair with some satisfaction.

"When did you change your style? When you participated in the talent show before, didn't you go viral with your silver side-back and smoky gray wolf-running outfit? You got 10 million views for your fancam, the first fancam in the Chinese entertainment industry to reach 10 million views."

Gu Jingyi's hairstyle is now the classic black hair with wispy layers, except his bangs are very choppy. They're combed to one side, revealing most of his forehead, and his sideburns are also short, fully showcasing his jawline.

The stylist told him that this style would better highlight his facial features and temperament.

Gu Jingyi did feel much more comfortable looking at it, and was quite satisfied.

However, when Lin Yoona suddenly asked a question, Gu Jingyi immediately grasped the key point.

"Weren't you a fan of mine before?"

(End of this chapter)