Peninsula Platinum Era

Chapter 101 The Soft Girl's Big Crisis! (Two Chapters Combined, Please Subscribe)
"Okay, okay, I understand. I'll explain it to them in person. How could I possibly offend them?"

Although his family hoped he would accept the offer, after all, compared to the vague dream of becoming an actor, this opportunity was a real chance to extend his career.

However, I respect my daughter's decision and also advised her to make sure things go smoothly. Even if the deal falls through, we should still be on good terms. Offending big companies in the industry will not do any good.

Minju covered her face with her hands. Actually, she was worst at saying no. Looking at the meeting invitation sent by the other party, she gritted her teeth and decided to go and meet them.

"First of all, thank you so much for coming all this way and for giving me this precious opportunity..."

She even pondered tactful words and excuses for focusing on her acting career, and felt guilty every time she refused someone, which is actually somewhat unacceptable for an artist.

In contrast, Secretary Li seemed quite composed. The staff at Source Music glanced at this woman who had suddenly appeared, but were rather unimpressed.

As a secretary to a high-ranking company executive, her sudden involvement in these matters is hardly a case of sending her down to gain prestige. However, negotiations with this female celebrity are already on the verge of collapse, so it's hard to understand the point of this "prestige-gaining" arrangement.

"Kim Minju's attitude is very firm. We haven't made much progress, and without any changes, there probably won't be any breakthrough this time either."

On the main attack lines, Kim Chae-won and Miyawaki Sakura are making rapid progress and will probably be here we go soon. Only Kim Min-ju, who has the most gentle personality, is like an iron wall.

"It's okay, it's okay! I'm just learning along the way."

Eunhye smiled and acted humble, like a kind-hearted person. She even brought coffee for her colleagues today.

The cautious Kim Minju deliberately chose a secluded social venue and did not come to the Big Hit building for a detailed discussion. Instead, he found an inconspicuous restaurant private room.

The afternoon sun shone through the blinds onto the wooden tabletop. The girl, wearing a beige cardigan, had her hands folded on her knees, her knuckles slightly white.

With a business plan in front of her, she took a deep breath and looked up with a soft yet firm gaze. Even Secretary Li, who was also a woman, secretly praised her, saying that purity was indeed the primary driving force.

“I am truly grateful to everyone for coming in person… especially knowing that I can stand shoulder to shoulder with the members again, this proposal also made me feel Source Music’s dedication to artistic creation.”

The girl's voice was soft and gentle, slightly hesitant but clear, and her eyes were full of determination, giving her a kind of gentle yet strong-willed look.

“Minju-ssi, we know you value your acting skills, but girl group activities won't hinder your acting career. The company can coordinate your schedule and also help you choose some film and television projects…”

Source Music's negotiator eagerly added, but the other party shook their head slightly, their tone gentle yet authoritative.

“I fully understand your intentions. However, even before participating in Produce 48, acting has been my obsession that sustained my practice. Singers need to breathe on stage, while actors must be rooted in the film set.”

Kim Minju unconsciously rubbed her cuffs with her fingertips. She had secretly taken a few acting classes recently, but after reading just two pages of lines, the trembling she felt made her realize that if she continued, she might never be able to recapture the original passion of actress Kim Minju.

She believes that her talent is not particularly outstanding, and she cannot do many things well like Lim Yoon-a and Bae Suzy, so she will just do one thing well.

"I am forever grateful for everyone's expectations of me, and I wish your company's team can reach the highest position, but I do not want to do anything unfair to the team."

Kim Minju felt that he had done a good job. First, he avoided the conflict by emphasizing that it would be unfair to the team. He both protected Big Hit's reputation and implied that his refusal was for the benefit of the team.

Secretary Eun-hye had been observing this girl. Beneath her delicate exterior lay a certain wisdom in handling affairs, though her bluffing did not escape her notice.

Throughout this process, she didn't interrupt, and her gaze even seemed somewhat unfocused, as she wondered what would happen to this woman if Chen Shijun succeeded.

Chen Shijun has an extremely strong desire for control, so what kind of sparks could this gentle woman ignite? Secretary Li dared not imagine that if this girl really fell into Chen Shijun's hands, she would be doomed, and even Jesus couldn't save her.

Of course, the purpose of this trip was to acquire strong reinforcements for the company. I didn't come here to be Chen Shijun's womanizer; it was just a random thought in my mind.

She sipped her tea slowly, and despite the situation, she didn't show any disappointment, making her seem more like a bystander to the other team members.

The girl bowed slightly, giving a 90-degree bow to the negotiators. As she stood up, her skirt swirled gently, exuding a pure and gentle charm.

"I'm really... so sorry to have caused you so much trouble."

The Source Music representative handed over his business card with a sigh, indicating that the plan had seemingly failed. A hasty sale is no sale; it was time to explore other options.

"If you change your mind, please feel free to contact me. The path of an actor is more difficult than you think."

The girl took the business card with both hands, her fingertips lingering briefly on the gold-plated logo of Source Music before carefully putting it into her pocket.

Perhaps it was a kind of gentle rebellion. The negotiator pushed open the glass door and politely saw the girl off, while Eunhye, who had been hanging up the whole time, stood up and saw her off as well.

"She could easily be a top idol just by her looks, but she insists on taking on odd jobs in the entertainment industry. What resources can a small company like Urban Works provide for her?"

"How many actors who started as idols have done well? If a work has a problem, the actor's acting skills will definitely be blamed."

The negotiators discussed it animatedly, and it seemed to be true that even someone as strong as Girls' Generation's Kwon Yuri had been out of the spotlight for a long time because of the failure of a single project.

"However, life's script is never written by someone else, so I can only wish her good luck."

A female representative shook her head. Several people stood at the door, ready to go home. They didn't know what Director Chen's secretary was doing there; she was probably just a pretty face.

An ordinary-looking and dressed diner walked out from inside; he was the kind of person who wouldn't stand out in a crowd. He walked straight toward the group of people.

"The item is here. Remember to transfer the money to my account. The video is very clear. If there's nothing else, I'll be leaving now."

He bowed slightly before Eunhye, handed a box to the female secretary, said goodbye, and turned to leave, leaving the rest of the negotiation team completely bewildered.

"Look how clear the picture is, and the girl is so beautiful! These devices are amazing these days."

Eunhye casually handed the device in her hand to the person next to her. It was a photo of Kim Minju, the negotiator, and herself leaving the restaurant.

The paparazzi were very close when the female idol pulled a mask up to her face, capturing a perfect shot of her pretty face. It would be a legendary photo posted on a fan site.

"What does this mean? Secretary Li, you..."

The female negotiator was somewhat puzzled, wondering what this behavior was trying to achieve and who that person was.

"When the tree falls, the monkeys scatter; IZ*ONE members scramble to find new clubs, and Royal Family's Kim Minju tests the transfer market? How about that headline? Isn't it explosive?"

Eun-hye felt that she would look more elegant with a cigarette in her hand, but she didn't have a smoking habit.

"What? How could you do this? Secretary Li, what exactly are you trying to do?"

This move took everyone by surprise. Some were unsure of the other party's intentions. The negotiations had broken down. Was this a retaliatory move?

There's a saying that even if a deal falls through, goodwill should remain. What's the point of this behavior? Is this what Director Chen Shijun wants?
"If you are suspected of secretly contacting Big Hit to prepare to switch jobs, then you'd better actually be preparing to switch jobs."

Regardless of the inevitable conflict with Urban Works, Source Music is the best option, and the female secretary believes that Kim Min-ju will definitely reconsider her choice.

Eun-hye knew that Big Hit really intended to reserve film and television resources for this girl, and perhaps forcing her to make a choice would be of great benefit to her life.

"But what if she doesn't choose Source Music even if we do that? Wouldn't that make us the bad guy for no reason?"

Seeing the other party's anxious and uncertain attitude, Eunhye was somewhat dismissive, saying that since she didn't choose Source Music, it was none of their business.

This ruthless and decisive nature completely changed everyone's impression of him. They had assumed he had risen to power through nepotism, but no one expected his methods to be so vicious.

It reminds me of another remarkable woman in the company, Min Hee-jin. I wonder whose heart is darker if you cut them open. In any case, they are both ruthless women who are just as capable as men.

If Chen Shijun had known this situation beforehand, he would have definitely cried out three times that the favor had misled him, and that this was not his true intention.

"Unnie, you're dressed so beautifully, where did you go?"

In the two dormitories across the hall, each dormitory has two rooms, one a four-person room and the other a double room. Xiaoyuan lives in the four-person room in the opposite dormitory with Sakura, Nako, and Jo Yuri.

Kim Minju had just gone around the other side of the street but didn't see Xiaoyuan. Yuri said she went to school today. He was disappointed but also relieved.

As for her own dormitory, she lived in a double room, and the lower bunk was occupied by Ahn Yoo-jin, one of the twin towers.

Although this girl is young, she is very efficient. She is tall and has the feel of a sports student. She is only one year older than Xiao Yuan in the group, but she gives people a very reliable image.

"Me? I went to see a friend. We just had dinner together."

An'an found a place to sit in the dormitory, took off her knitted cardigan, revealing her fair skin on her shoulders, and felt that this older sister had a sweet and soft feeling.

"The company sent us back yesterday, and we met with some trainees. There were a lot of beautiful kids there."

Although I am one of the youngest members of IZ*ONE, many of the newly recruited trainees are my peers.

This also brought her a lot of expectations, especially since the company even hinted that she would take on more roles and perhaps receive the same preferential treatment as Xiaoyuan.

Even so, I still envy her for having such a wonderful older brother. Chen Shijun doesn't usually take the initiative to chat with her, and even when he does, it's only because of Xiao Yuan.

She would often send me red envelopes with pocket money, asking me to take good care of Yuan Ying, and saying it was a reward from her as her older sister.

In fact, with their deliberate efforts to maintain the relationship, it did progress rapidly. After all, they were childhood sweethearts and had been trainees at the company together since elementary school.

"I didn't see Yuanying just now, she went to school."

Speaking of which, I was Xiaoyuan's classmate and senior, but I graduated this February, which happened to be the time when Xiaoyuan enrolled.

So in a way it was a case of alternating enrollment, but Xiaoyuan entered the Department of Applied Music, while I studied the Department of Drama and Film.

At this point, An'an across from her looked rather unhappy. Even though she was in a prestigious arts high school, she had only studied there for a few months.

Art high schools are quite magical places. Although some fans jokingly call them vocational schools, the number of students selected is actually very small.

Only a small number of students are selected each term, with just over 200 students per grade, and the school maintains a size of over 700 students year-round.

Each year, the Department of Drama and Film has only one class, while the Department of Applied Music and the Department of Applied Dance each have two classes, with a fixed quota of 34 students per class. Most of these students will debut as artists.

Many of them are trainees placed in by entertainment agencies, and almost all of them will debut, so they often build connections within the industry.

In contrast, there are two classes in the Stage Design Department. This major focuses on stage design, sketching, art history, and some art skills. The curriculum is the same as other general art departments.

These people are the main force in going to university and have made a great contribution to the school's college entrance rate, so it can be said to be a school with a very strong function.

Although An Gou Gou felt it didn't matter whether he went or not, he still felt a bit inferior and ashamed in front of Chen Shi Jun, who graduated from a prestigious university.

It's not that I have any improper thoughts, it's just that I keep flirting with Xiaoyuan, so naturally I start thinking about that, and the more I think about it, the more uncomfortable I feel.

She had searched for Jung Eun-chae, and she was a genuine graduate of Lun-yi University, with an air of knowledge. The more she thought about it, the more she felt like an uncultured, intellectual young woman.

Although Xiaoyuan doesn't study much, given her situation, as long as she can finish high school, Chen Shijun will find a way to get her into university.

You should know that Xiaoyuan's older sister went from Seoul Arts High School to Ewha Womans University. Even if she couldn't get into Ewha, she could still get a degree from any of the many universities in South Korea.

Then I'll be the only one left who dropped out of vocational school. Just thinking about it is terrifying. Xiaoyuan kicked me aside and went to university herself. Then the Twin Towers will become a forced Twin Towers.

But once you drop out of school, there's no going back. Xiaoyuan, who is still in school, has endless possibilities, while my decision to drop out of vocational school is already a done deal.

Thinking about this, the girl even wanted to cry. Although she could take the high school graduation equivalency exam in the second half of this year, and because of the abolition of the early birthday system, she could be recognized as a high school graduate a year earlier than other students.

However, I will not participate in the college entrance examination held at the end of the year, because even if I did, I would not pass, and there are no other options available.

"Yeah, for some reason, this guy has suddenly started studying hard. Could it be that he really wants to go to university?"

An Gougou, whose face was still damp with sweat from jumping rope, wiped his neck with a towel and lay down on his bed to rest.

"Don't worry about Xiaoyuan for now, go take a shower after you're done exercising! You're really..."

Actually, Minju doesn't have any germaphobia, but this Ahn dog has many of the traits of a sports student, both good and bad.

One of the things she does is that she's not very particular. I usually take a shower before going to bed, but this girl just lies down on the bed without any regard for etiquette.

"What's wrong? Does it smell? No, unnie, smell it."

Feeling inexplicably rejected, Ahn Yu-jin feigned heartbreak and even sniffed her T-shirt to indicate that it didn't smell bad.

"Go take a shower, you dirty dog. How will Director Chen accept your lifestyle in the future?"

Because this guy often talks trash to Xiaoyuan, and today it just so happens that he is facing Chen Shijun's company, Minju suddenly remembered this joke.

"What's wrong with my lifestyle? I just want to rest for a while before taking a shower. Director Chen won't mind."

Actually, the girl's hygiene habits are okay, she's just a bit more careless, probably because she likes sports, so there's a difference in comparison.

"I don't think so. Yuan Ying's brother has an elite demeanor. He looks very sophisticated and meticulous in many ways."

Looking at his younger sister, who was much taller than him, he had a simple, honest smile on his face, but she was actually very clever and good at reading people.

Although this guy said he wanted to be Yuan Ying's sister-in-law and has now changed to gold-rimmed glasses like Chen Shijun, it just doesn't look right.

In short, it just doesn't have the right vibe, it doesn't match at all, you know? Besides, for such a young age, he's so precocious, he's really shameless.

"Isn't that often seen in TV dramas? How is it impossible? How do you know what kind of girl Chen Shijun oppa likes?"

Although she said that, she only knew one person, Jung Eun-chae, who seemed to have a cool and intellectual style, which was indeed the complete opposite of her own sporty girl image.

Xiao Yuan has already started imitating, and although she sometimes acts very deliberately, she is undeniably making progress. In the end, however, she is the only one who remains stagnant.

"Of course I don't know, and I don't want to know. All I know is that if you really become Yuan Ying's sister-in-law, she will kill you."

Because he had accomplished something important, Minju was in a very good mood and was joking with the other party.

I never expected this guy to be so shameless, he actually called oppa. I never thought this big dog was such a pervert.

"Maybe Se-joon oppa likes both sunny girls like me and soft, gentle girls like unnie who won't fight back no matter how much you bully them!"

But which type do I like? I'm too embarrassed to ask him directly. Young and pretty is definitely the right choice; who wouldn't like a young girl?

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(End of this chapter)