Peninsula: From a supporting actor to the best actor in Chungmuro

Chapter 264: A 45% tax rate and a 100% sweet girl

Chapter 264: A 45% Tax Rate and 100% Sweetheart
Hannah's Tablet Notebook

[04:45AM] Confirmed 2 hours in advance that the president's schedule has not changed.

【05:30AM】Make sure you get 2 iced Americanos (President + Ms. Jiwon)

【06:15AM】Confirm the in-flight meal menu (Note: No cilantro)
……

Early morning in Suyu-dong, Seoul
The morning light is dim.

Kim Ji-won's baseball cap was pulled low, revealing a pair of bright, almond-shaped eyes above her mask.

Her toes lightly touched the gaps in the sidewalk, and a Q-version pendant of Seo Dae-young from "Descendants of the Sun" hung on the suitcase next to her—the tinkling sound was like her joyful heartbeat.

The moment the black van came to a slow, steady stop, she almost jumped up.

The car door slid open—

"Oppa~!"

The overly sweet voice suddenly twitched when it saw Hanna adjusting her glasses:
"……Hi?"

Hanna nodded with a blank expression:
Good morning, Ms. Ji-won.

Kim Ji-won's fingers tightened around the suitcase handle, her eyes flashing with question marks as she looked at Kang Jae-hoon.
—What happened to our promised time alone together?!

—What's wrong with this cold-faced devil?!
Kang Jae-hoon stretched out his long arm and pulled the stunned Kim Ji-won into his arms:
"What are you standing there for? Get in the car."

"But, but..."

Kim Ji-won was still stealing glances at Hanna while being pressed into the leather seat:

"Oppa isn't with her..."

"rest assured--"

Kang Jae-hoon chuckled, pinching the back of her neck: "This is one of us."

"One of our own?"

Kim Ji-won suddenly raised her voice, then hurriedly covered her mouth:

"Oppa bribed her? How much?"

"Inappropriate word choice—"

Kang Jae-hoon suddenly grabbed the back of her head: "She deserves to be punished."

"Well!"

The kiss came unexpectedly.

Kim Ji-won, unusually, didn't close her eyes, her eyelashes trembling as she stole glances at Hanna—

The latter turned around instantly, and the tablet snapped up to block his face. The electronic boarding pass page was accidentally enlarged and then shrunk by a finger touch.

After discovering that Hanna had truly become a "human shielding device," Kim Ji-won suddenly became bolder.

She suddenly hooked her arm around Kang Jae-hoon's neck and took the initiative, their kiss so passionate that it could send the Dispatch reporter into a frenzy.

……

The interior of the cabin.

As the flight attendant bowed and handed over the hot towel, Kim Ji-won was whispering softly to Kang Jae-hoon while hanging on his shoulder.

Hannah suddenly passed an eye mask through the gap in the seat in front of her:

"President, I suggest you get some sleep."

(Translation: Please, you two, have some decency!)

Kang Jae-hoon took the blindfold and casually covered Kim Ji-won's face with it:

"Sweetie, go to sleep for a while."

"Ugh! I can't see!"

She frantically tried to pull off her blindfold, but Kang Jae-hoon took the opportunity to pull her into his arms and use her as a human pillow.

Amidst the roar of the plane plunging into the clouds, Kim Ji-won's mutterings could be faintly heard:
"Oppa... Is Secretary Han trembling?"

Kang Jae-hoon closed his eyes and chuckled softly:
"It's an illusion; it's just turbulence on the plane."

- Strange.

Hanna gripped the armrest of the seat tightly, her mind racing:
#Why hasn't this plane crashed yet?#
#Is it too late to skydive now?#
#Ms. Lin, I'm sorry, but I really need that letter of recommendation#
……

As the drifting clouds swept across the sky at 30,000 feet, the rising sun outside the porthole had already gilded the entire city with a layer of flowing gold leaf.

As Kang Jae-hoon led Kim Ji-won across the covered bridge, the warm morning breeze of China, carrying the scent of sycamore leaves, rushed towards them.

On the set of an OPPO advertisement shoot.

In the misty studio, Kim Ji-won walked barefoot on a replica of a Venetian bridge, her white lace dress billowing like a blooming lily of the valley as the wind machine blew it.

"Action!"

As Kang Jae-hoon's fingertips brushed against her earlobe, the camera precisely captured the starlight effect exploding in Kim Ji-won's pupils the instant he raised the OPPO R9—

Later, this scene will become a dazzling transition with a meteor shower streaking across the screen.

The director shouted in Cantonese-accented Mandarin:

"Mr. Jiang, come closer! You need to create the feeling that 'a cell phone is more alluring than a kiss'!"

Kang Jae-hoon suddenly bit the corner of the phone she was holding, his canine teeth making a soft sound as they tapped against the metal frame.
"so?"

Kim Ji-won's ears instantly turned red, and she forgot her lines.

Number of takes: 7 (5 of which were due to the female lead laughing during filming)
"Cut!"

The director waved excitedly:
"Next scene, Ms. Ji-won, please breathe on the car window and draw a heart!"

Just as Kim Ji-won's fingertips touched the glass, Kang Jae-hoon suddenly wrapped his arms around her from behind, covering the back of her hand with his palm—

In the shot, two hands clasped together draw a crooked yet sweet heart on the misty car window.

The marketing director, who was watching the monitor, excitedly called headquarters:
"That's right! It feels like a spin-off of 'Empress Dowager'!"

This was even more pronounced when filming moved to the Master Kong Iced Tea location.

When Kim Ji-won, wearing a lemon-yellow mini-skirt, jumped into the pool, water splashed onto Kang Jae-hoon's white shirt, revealing the faint outline of his abs.

"The two of you should express the cool, refreshing feeling of being deeply in love!"

The director shouted through a megaphone:
"Mr. Jiang, please lift Ms. Zhiyuan up and spin her around—yes! Like a marriage proposal!"

When Kim Ji-won was carried on his shoulders and spun around, the water droplets from her hair drew rainbows in the air, and her smile exceeded the "100% sweetness" requirement in the advertisement by 200%.

As dusk falls.

The final shot freezes on Kang Jae-hoon feeding the mouth of the iced tea bottle to Kim Ji-won's lips—she wasn't biting the bottle opening, but rather the sugar frosting left on his thumb.

(Note: During the entire filming process, Hanna was forced to eat dog food until her blood sugar spiked, and she repeatedly took deep breaths and silently recited the Diamond Sutra.)
……

The twilight along the Suzhou River, like melted caramel, slowly flows through the century-old streets and alleys of Shanghai.

The evening breeze carries the fragrance of osmanthus blossoms through the streets and alleys.

Kang Jae-hoon led Kim Ji-won into an alleyway shaded by plane trees.

In front of a private restaurant converted from a red-brick old house, the proprietress in a cheongsam lifts the bamboo curtain and smiles as she hands over a gold-embossed menu:

"Mr. Jiang, it's been a long time."

Kim Ji-won tiptoed and clung to Kang Jae-hoon's shoulder to peek at the menu:

"This Longjing shrimp! This crab meat lion's head meatball!"

She would shake Kang Jae-hoon's arm every time she pointed to a dish, just like a Pomeranian begging for food: "And this one... Ouch!"

Kang Jae-hoon flicked her forehead with his finger:
"Can you even finish all this?"

The proprietress covered her mouth and chuckled softly, pouring amber-colored Qimen black tea into a celadon teacup:

"Please have some tea first, everyone. The crab roe soup dumplings need to be steamed fresh..."

……

In the elegant room.

Kim Ji-won's chopsticks danced between the squirrel-shaped mandarin fish and the Longjing shrimp, her cheeks puffed out like a hamster's.

"Hmm! This is better than Chinese restaurants in Seoul..."

Suddenly, Kang Jae-hoon pinched her cheek.

"Swallow it and then talk."

He took a tissue to wipe the sauce from the corner of her mouth, his movements as gentle as if he were polishing a work of art.

Hanna silently pushed the stir-fried vegetables in front of her further away—

This couple is so shameless, even their food is stringy and stringy; vegetarianism can't save this dog food (a Chinese slang term for public displays of affection).

Ding--

CFO Yin Jingxi's call came in abruptly.

"Your revenue sharing with Next Scene must be adjusted immediately."

Kang Jae-hoon took a bite with his chopsticks:
"Ok?"

"Your two advertisements in China generated a total of 22.5 billion Korean won in revenue. Based on the current 9:1 revenue split, your personal income tax rate will soar to 45%."

Jiang Jae-hoon: “…”

He suddenly remembered the profit-sharing ratio he had set in a grand gesture when he first founded the company—

At the time, all I could think about was how great it was to make money, and I completely forgot that the tax bureau's sickle was even sharper.

"so?"

"It is suggested to change it to 2:8."

Yin Jingxi tapped away on the calculator:
"You need to set up your own studio, sign an 'Exclusive Brokerage Contract' with Next Scene, and then go through an 'Internal Business Subcontracting Agreement'..."

The next fifteen minutes.

Yin Jingxi rattled off a bunch of technical terms at a speed comparable to the dialogue in "House of Cards".

Kang Jae-hoon's brows furrowed more and more, and finally he simply pushed the phone to Han Na:

"Translate into human language."

A cold glint flashed in Hannah's glasses:
"In short—you currently pay $45 to the tax authorities for every $100 you earn, but after the restructuring, you'll only have to pay $25 or even less."

"Is this considered exploiting a loophole?"

Hanna pushed up her glasses:
“Boss, this is wisdom allowed by the rules.”

"What about Ji-won's contract?" Kang Jae-hoon suddenly asked.

"Her income structure is different."

On the other end of the phone, Yin Jingxi spoke meaningfully:

“You have the backing of the Progressive Party, and your charitable donations are tax-deductible, so the higher-ups will turn a blind eye. But if Kim Ji-won follows suit, she will be caught by the National Tax Service like a goldfish stealing bait.”

"I know."

Kang Jae-hoon glanced at Kim Ji-won, who was sipping soup through a straw:
"Just like when Song Hye-kyo was investigated back then?"

Snapped!
Kim Ji-won was so startled that she dropped her chopsticks on the porcelain plate. "So..."

Kang Jae-hoon rubbed his temples: "Do I have to go back to Korea to deal with this?"

"Theoretically, tomorrow."

"..."

Kang Jae-hoon stared at the dazzling lights of Lujiazui outside the window, his heart churning with excitement—

So my date with Im Yoona, which was supposed to be a private affair under the guise of work, has fallen through?
"Oppa is going back?"

Kim Ji-won suddenly grabbed his arm:

"Then my fan meeting..."

Jiang Zaixun wiped his face:
"as usual."

Turning to Hannah, he gritted his teeth and said:

"Book your flight for tomorrow morning."

Hanna looked down and quickly took notes on the tablet:
[22:30-22:35 The President's True Story of Bowing Down for a Peck of Rice]

[Additional Note] Before your next business trip, I suggest you visit Guan Gong (a deity associated with tax evasion) – to avoid taxes and potential pitfalls.

……

Neon lights streamed through the hotel's floor-to-ceiling windows, creating a dazzling galaxy on the wool carpet. In the distance, the Bund's clock struck eleven, its echoes reverberating among the domes of the historic buildings.

Kim Ji-won emerged from the bathroom, wearing a semi-transparent silk nightgown. Water droplets from her hair rolled down her collarbone, and the bow tie at her chest swayed with each step.

With just a flick of his finger, Kang Jae-hoon could turn this five-figure nightgown into a decorative piece on the carpet.

"Oppa~"

She leaped into Jiang Zaixun's arms, the scent of gardenia from the shower gel instantly overwhelming his sense of smell.

"You've had a long day, how about... we have a deeper conversation?"

The damp fingertips slipped into the gaps between the buttons of his pajamas, as if composing a musical score unsuitable for children.

Kang Jae-hoon moved her hand away without changing his expression:

"For tomorrow's fan meeting, would you like Dispatch's headline to be 'Kim Ji-won's Neck Hickey Suspected of Nighttime Sex'?"

"Then you can kiss the parts that can't be seen~"

Undeterred, she lifted the hem of his shirt and traced a map in the grooves of his abdominal muscles with her fingertips.

"No."

Kang Jae-hoon grabbed her wrist for the third time:
"I have limited self-control."

The tug-of-war continued into the fifth round—

Kim Ji-won suddenly knelt up, her nightgown strap slipping down to her elbows:

"Kang Jae-hoon! This is incredibly disrespectful to my charm!"

She angrily tried to untie the bow:
"I specifically used the bottle you gave me..."

Kang Jae-hoon suddenly threw this tempting creature into the blanket and wrapped her up like a spring roll.

Kim Ji-won: “…”

She suddenly had a flash of inspiration:
"Oh my god, you didn't really get drained by Bae Suzy, did you?!"

Kang Jae-hoon's temple throbbed:
"What nonsense! I'm doing this to keep you in top form!"

Kim Ji-won was so angry she turned into a pufferfish.

All that was left for him was the back of his head covered with the words "I will assassinate my husband tonight."

Kang Jae-hoon sighed, scooped out the human-shaped spring roll, and rearranged it on a plate:

"Ji-won, be good."

Kim Ji-won, however, wriggled like a silkworm in protest: "Hmph!"

But my body honestly rubbed against the heat source.

The resentment emanating from his head was so intense that it could be visualized as black bubbles in a comic book.

To alleviate the murderous aura.

Kang Jae-hoon casually clicked on a 9.3-rated, addictive web series—"Go Princess Go".

When Kim Ji-won saw the male lead wearing swimming goggles to court, and all the civil and military officials carrying PVC water pipes as a procession, she laughed so hard she almost rolled off the bed.

however.

When Zhang Peng, using Zhang Pengpeng's face, flirted with the palace maid, the two suddenly fell into an eerie silence.

"A little intoxicating?"

The two said in unison.

Kang Jae-hoon's eyes darkened as he gently stroked Kim Ji-won's small hand with his knuckles.

"The modern soul is trapped in the ancient body; it is essentially a gender rights game that uses the past to satirize the present."

His eyes grew brighter as he spoke, and suddenly he pinched Kim Ji-won's cheek:

"You imitate me."

Kim Ji-won's eyes lit up, and she immediately recreated the famous scene of him disbanding the special forces in Paris:
"A professional service fee of two thousand euros per person."

She slightly raised her chin, perfectly mimicking even his languid voice, which was three parts mockery, three parts unruliness, and four parts nonchalance:

"The contract is now closed."

"Absolutely awesome!"

Kang Jae-hoon clapped his hands and laughed:
"Let's have another clip of Zhang Pengpeng crossing her legs!"

Kim Ji-won flipped over and straddled his lap, lifting his chin with her fingertips: "My man—" she mimicked the wicked and arrogant laugh of the female lead in the drama, "is not someone you can even dream of?"

"Ugh, what an embarrassing line!"

After finishing her performance, she broke down in tears, giggling and leaning on his shoulder.

In laughter.

But in Kang Jae-hoon's mind, Im Yoon-a's face appeared—

This kind of beautiful and cool "female dominant" character is essentially a deconstruction and subversion of the traditional female role.

If "The Witch Wearing Cartier" was given to Bae Suzy, then he needs a project of equal caliber.
"Oppa."

The person in his arms suddenly quieted down, their almond-shaped eyes shining softly:
"Are you holding me while I'm thinking of someone else?"

"..."

The remote control slammed onto the bed with a "thud".

Kang Jae-hoon flipped over and pinned the other person down: "Looks like some people aren't going to sleep tonight?"

"You started it... Ugh!"

The bow on the silk pajamas eventually came undone.

The lights of the Oriental Pearl Tower outside the window suddenly went out, as if it were blushing with shame for this "lesson".

The next morning.

Hanna stared expressionlessly at the teeth marks on the president's neck and wrote them down on the tablet:
On the devastating impact of "Go Princess Go" on adult nightlife

#It is recommended that Zhang Tianai be added to the Next Scene blacklist#
……

Next Scene headquarters.

The morning mist had not yet dissipated, and sunlight streamed through the tempered glass curtain wall, cutting geometric patterns of light onto the marble conference table in the meeting room.

Kang Jae-hoon's pen hovered at the end of the document, the ink spreading out in a small dot on the paper—

This is the 27th contract he has signed in three days.

"The tax structure for personal studios is complete."

Yin Jingxi pushed a stack of documents toward Han Na:
"Secretary Han's employment contract has been transferred to the president's personal studio, and the social security relationships of Kim Jin-min and other core team members have also been transferred."

Jiang Zaixun nodded and closed his pen with satisfaction.

The Seoul skyline stretched out in the morning light outside the window, and the image of Im Yoon-a already appeared in his mind—

A few days ago, she sent a photo to Kang Jae-hoon.

Amidst the red walls and golden tiles, the sight of Lin Yoona holding an oil-paper umbrella and turning her head was more alluring to him than any business deal.

—It's time to continue that "chance encounter plan".

"I need to fly to China as soon as possible to discuss the remake rights of 'Go Princess Go'."

Upon hearing this, Yin Jingxi displayed a subtle expression:
"If the president is determined to operate this IP, it is recommended to adopt a special purpose vehicle (SPV) structure—"

“Next Scene will contribute 70% of the funding, and your studio will contribute 30%, forming an SPV dedicated to this project.”

Her speech was so fast it sounded like she was chanting a spell:
"The copyright acquisition funds are paid by SPV, and the production company Next Scene then pays licensing fees to SPV."

Kang Jae-hoon suddenly raised his hand to interrupt:
"speak English."

"simply put--"

Yin Jingxi drew a simple architecture diagram on the whiteboard:

“We set up a shell company specifically to ‘package’ this IP.”

"If we make a profit, we can legally avoid taxes; if we lose money, it won't affect the parent company."

"We can even allocate shares to the key creative personnel, deeply binding their interests with the project."

Jiang Zai Xun's gaze lingered on the words "equity incentive" for two extra seconds.

"So, in this company structure, Next Scene will have absolute control over the shares, while the rest can be freely allocated?"

"That's the theory."

"We'll reserve 20% of the shares for Yoona."

The meeting room fell silent abruptly.

"Are you sure?"