Peninsula: My cheat code is unscientific

Chapter 114 The Allure of Douzhi (5K)

After washing up and tidying up briefly, the two put on hats and masks and slipped out of the hotel.

The early morning in Beijing was already bustling with life. The breakfast shops along the roadside were steaming and filled with delicious aromas. Shirley looked around curiously, taking in all the different kinds of breakfasts, feeling like she couldn't take it all in.

"Unnie, what are we eating?"

"I'm not sure either, let's walk around and see!" Jiang Che led Shirley for a while and found a small shop full of local elderly men and women.

"This is it! With so many people, it must be delicious."

"Boss, two bowls of wontons, two baked buns, and two bowls of tofu pudding!" Jiang Che ordered in Chinese, then looked at Shirley:
"By the way, Sherry, are you a sweet or savory person?"

"What? Sweet Party? Salty Party?" Shirley was completely confused. "What kind of parties are those?"

Jiang Che laughed and explained:

"Is tofu pudding sweet or savory? This is a serious question that could spark a North-South war!"

Shirley was even more confused. Could a bowl of tofu pudding really spark a North-South war? "I...I don't know."

"It's alright, boss! One bowl is sweet, and one bowl is savory! Try them both!"

As breakfast was served, Shirley looked at the dazzling array of food before her, and a feeling of happiness welled up inside her. The wonton wrappers were thin and the fillings generous, with a delicious broth; the baked flatbread was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, bursting with meaty flavor; and as for the tofu pudding…

She tasted the salty one first, nodded, and then curiously scooped up a spoonful of the sweet one and put it in her mouth...

"How about it?"

"Hmm...it's alright..." Sherry carefully chose her words.

Seeing Shirley's joyful expression as she ate, Jiang Che's evil thoughts took hold, and he said mysteriously:
"Sherry, there's also a hidden boss at Breakfast at BJ. Want to take on the challenge?"

"Mo? What is that?" Sherry's curiosity was piqued.

Jiang Che got up and went to the window, quickly returning with a bowl of grayish-white liquid, steaming slightly, and placed it in front of Shirley with an utterly sincere expression:
"Here, a traditional Beijing specialty: douzhi (fermented mung bean juice). They say people either love it or hate it. Want to try some?"

Shirley looked at the liquid, which didn't look very appealing, and then took a sniff—she felt an indescribable smell enter her nostrils.

She wrinkled her nose, but out of trust in Jiang Che, she decided to take a bite anyway. She picked up the bowl with both hands and prepared to take a big gulp, just like drinking soup.

"Wait!" Jiang Che was startled by her posture and quickly stopped her: "No! Try a little bit first and see if you can get used to it!"

He was genuinely afraid that the child might spit it all over his face or leave him with some kind of psychological trauma. If it were filmed, he could come up with headlines like, "f(x) member Sulli suspected of being poisoned by Yoona and vomiting in public."

Sherry was a little nervous by his reaction, so she obediently took only a small sip.

The next second—

Her pretty little face scrunched up at a visible speed, her brows furrowed, her eyes and nose almost squeezed together, transforming her into the very embodiment of a mask of pain.

She quickly covered her mouth, barely managing to hold back from vomiting. After swallowing, she quickly gulped down several mouthfuls of tofu pudding. Once she caught her breath, the first thing she did was punch Jiang Che's arm directly.
"Ugh! Unnie!! What is this?! It tastes sour and weird! Are you doing this on purpose?!"

Jiang Che had been holding back his laughter for a while, and seeing Shirley's disgusted expression, his shoulders shook with laughter.

"Hahaha... I already said it's the ultimate hidden boss, so it definitely has boss-level skills. How about it, isn't it unforgettable?"

"Unnie, you're still laughing!" Shirley glared at him angrily, her cheeks puffed out.

Jiang Che finished laughing, looked at Shirley's face, which was puffed up with anger, and naturally reached out to ruffle her hair again:

"Okay, okay, I won't laugh anymore. Our Shirley, no matter how I am in front of others, at least in front of me I don't have to pretend. I can laugh when I want to laugh, and I can get angry when I want to get angry, it's all okay, you know?"

Shirley paused for a moment, looking at the morning sunlight shining on Jiang Che's profile, feeling warm and bright. She was silent for a moment, then gave a super bright smile and nodded vigorously: "Yes, Arasso."

"That's more like it!" Jiang Che felt great.

"Alright, let's finish this quickly, then we'll bring some breakfast back for PD Na and the other guys. They'll be indebted to us, so they'll treat us better on the mission today."

"Yes!" Shirley responded enthusiastically, then flashed a sly smile. "Unnie, let's bring back a few copies of BOSS for Oppa and the others too!"

Jiang Che: "!!!"

He stared at Shirley in shock. Good heavens, is this the legendary "three years of good learning, three days of bad learning"? Is she about to start taking revenge on society?

But seeing Shirley's rare, mischievous expression, he immediately nodded in agreement without any principles:

"Yes, yes, yes! Whatever you say, boss! Five more servings of douzhi to go!"

When I returned to the hotel, PD Na and the three senior members, Kang Ho-dong, Lee Soo-geun, and Eun Ji-won, were already in the lobby on the first floor. They looked like they had just gotten up.

When they saw Jiang Che and Shirley carrying large bags of breakfast, their eyes lit up.

"Oh my! Yoona-ssi, Sulli-ssi, I was just about to call you to come downstairs, what's this..." PD Na's face was full of surprise.

Jiang Che shook the bag in his hand, a bright smile on his face:
"I brought authentic BJ breakfast for all the oppas and PD nim! There are many kinds, please try them."

Kang Ho-dong quickly stepped forward to take the money and distributed it to everyone:

"Aigoo! Yoona is so...so sensible!"

"I was just getting hungry, thank you Yoona and Sulli!"

"It looks delicious!"

Seeing this, Jiang Che immediately turned to the side and gently pushed Shirley forward, his tone sincere:
"Ani ani, mainly because Sulli cares about everyone. She insisted on buying a lot of things, saying that she wanted the oppas and PDnim to try them."

Sherry was a little stunned by Jiang Che's sudden script and subconsciously looked at him.

Jiang Che quickly winked at her.
Shirley immediately realized what was going on, and although a little embarrassed, she still replied:

"Ani, Ani... It was mainly Yoona unnie's suggestion."

"Alright, alright, you two stop refusing to each other. You're both so kind." PD Na looked at the two of them with admiration in his eyes.

Seeing the grateful looks from her seniors, Shirley's face flushed slightly, and she couldn't help but steal a glance at Jiang Che.

But Jiang Che was already busy helping to distribute breakfast—actually, it wasn't really about distributing breakfast, his attention was entirely on those few cups of soy milk, just waiting to see who would be the first unlucky one.

Finally, he saw Kang Ho-dong's large hand pick up one of the cups, but he hesitated as he looked at the grayish-white liquid.

He immediately said, "Ho Dong oppa, that's a super famous snack in Beijing. I queued for ages to buy it. They say if you come to Beijing and don't drink it, you're not a true hero."

Holding the still-warm soy milk, Kang Ho-dong squinted at Kang Cheol's excessively bright smile upon hearing this.

I have a feeling that this maknae (youngest member) has ulterior motives—after all, how could someone who can get along with Yoo Jae-suk be a good person?

Seeing that the guy wasn't moving, Jiang Che's eyes lit up. Without a word, he grabbed a cup, stuck in a straw, took a big gulp, swallowed it without batting an eye, and even exaggeratedly exhaled a breath.
"Tsk, this is the taste! Kang Ho-dong oppa, try it!"

Seeing that Kang Cheol had drunk it, Kang Ho-dong, still somewhat skeptical, poked open the cup and took a big sip as well.

The next second—

"Ugh!!!" Kang Ho-dong's eyes widened instantly like saucers, his face contorted in pain, and his throat bobbed violently, on the verge of spitting out his own saliva.

Upon seeing this, Jiang Che immediately shouted:

"Hey, Oppa, isn't it delicious? Don't you want PD Na, Soo-geun Oppa, and Ji-won Oppa to try it too?"

These words were like a spell, instantly waking Kang Ho-dong. He stubbornly forced down the mouthful of soy milk that had almost taken him from this beautiful world, managing to force a smile that was more like a grimace.

"Wow, everyone, you have to try this! It's really...delicious!"

Lee Soo-geun and Eun Ji-won, watching Kang Ho-dong's exaggerated performance, were somewhat reluctant to drink. PD Na also remained vigilant, stroking his chin without moving.

"Really? Hu Dong, your expression is a bit strange."

"Ani! It's absolutely delicious!" Kang Ho-dong declared confidently, even taking another small sip. His facial expressions were almost completely out of control, but he was still trying to maintain his composure.
"Yoona is right, if you come to Beijing, you're no hero if you don't drink this!"

Jiang Che immediately chimed in: "That's right, we queued for ages to get this, Jiwon oppa, Soo-geun oppa, PD nim, drink it while it's hot, it won't taste good when it's cold!"

Under the barrage of lies from these two, Lee Soo-geun, Eun Ji-won, and PD Na finally each took a drink. However, what the other two didn't notice was that...

After receiving the soy milk, PD Na clearly increased his speed at which he poked the straw by 0.5 times.

"Pfft—! Holy crap!! What is this?!"

"Damn it, Kang Ho-dong! Im Yoon-ah! You two are dead meat!!"

The hall was instantly filled with shouts of "Shiba!" and sounds of retching. Seeing this, Jiang Hudong and Jiang Che simultaneously grabbed the mineral water bottles next to them, unscrewed them, and gulped them down in perfect unison.

"Hey! You two!!" Eun Ji-won was so angry that he jumped up and down, wiping his mouth as he was about to rush over.

Jiang Che reacted extremely quickly, slipping behind Shirley who was laughing so hard she couldn't stand up straight, using her as a shield:
"Oppa! Calm down! It was Kang Ho-dong oppa who tricked you! I was just an accomplice! Just an accomplice!"

Sulli was pushed forward by Kang Cheol, her shoulders gripped, as Eun Ji-won and Lee Soo-geun charged at her menacingly. She couldn't stop laughing, and the scene instantly turned into a game of tag.
Shirley is like the mother hen protecting her chick Kang Cheol, laughing until she's exhausted, while Eun Ji-won and Lee Soo-geun are like the eagles trying to catch the sly-looking guy behind them.

"Hey! Yoona, come out here!"

"Oppa! It's a misunderstanding! This is a Beijing specialty! If you don't believe me, ask Kang Ho-dong oppa. He's the one who told you it's delicious!" Kang Che shouted while dodging.

PD Luo, holding a cup of soy milk with only a straw but no actual drink, stood outside the battle zone, watching the chaotic scene unfold before him. His smile widened as he turned to the VJ beside him and asked:

"Oh! You took pictures of everything, right?"

VJ suppressed a laugh and gave an "OK" sign.

PD Luo finally breathed a sigh of relief and said with a smile:

"Yoona is so interesting."

After a long commotion, the douzhi (fermented mung bean juice) incident in the lobby was barely quelled with the intervention of PD Na. Eun Ji-won and Lee Soo-geun glared angrily at Kang Cheol and Kang Ho-dong, the indescribable taste still lingering in their mouths.

Kang Ho-dong chuckled, trying to bluff his way out. Kang Cheol, meanwhile, remained hidden behind Sulli, peeking out with an innocent yet infuriating grin.

"Alright, alright, let's pause for now." PD Na clapped his hands, suppressing a laugh as he stepped forward to smooth things over.

"Get ready, let's go. Today's task is simple—"

He deliberately drew out his words, looked at the few people who had pricked up their ears, and announced:
"It's all about having fun! Our goal is—the Forbidden City in the morning, the Great Wall in the afternoon! The main focus is on experiencing Chinese culture, enjoying the fun of travel, and incidentally promoting our products and services to our audience!"

"Wow! Really?!" Sulli was the first to exclaim in surprise. She was already having a great time participating in the show with Yoona unnie, and now the show also included sightseeing, which made the fun even more enjoyable.

Jiang Che immediately clapped in support: "PD Luo, you're awesome! Today you're the most handsome PD in the world!"

"Wow, wasn't I handsome before?"

"Handsome! But especially handsome today!" Jiang Che's flattery came out without hesitation.

Jiang Hudong, Li Shougen, and the other two were also happy. After all, who doesn't like a publicly funded trip? Their resentment at being cheated just now dissipated by more than half.

The group set off in a grand procession to their first stop—the Forbidden City.

Standing before the magnificent Meridian Gate, gazing up at the towering red palace walls and exquisite corner towers, a profound sense of history and imperial majesty overwhelmed her. Shirley tilted her head back, her small mouth slightly open, completely absorbed in the scene.

Jiang Che stood beside her, turned his head, and looked at Shirley's adorably shocked expression, his playful side resurfacing.

He quietly raised a finger and gently placed it next to Shirley's cheek, then called out:
"Sherry"

Shirley turned her head at the sound, her cheek bumping right into Jiang Che's fingertips, and she gasped softly.
"Hey—Unnie!"

After Jiang Che succeeded, he laughed happily from the side. Shirley looked at this naughty unnie and felt completely helpless.

After buying tickets and entering the Forbidden City, we slowly walked along the central axis, and one magnificent palace after another unfolded before our eyes. Shirley seemed to have been switched on, becoming exceptionally lively and curious, constantly pointing to various architectural details and asking Jiang Che questions:
"Unnie, unnie, what are those little animals on the roof for?"

Why are there so many copper nails on that gate?

Relying on the remaining historical knowledge in his mind and the content of documentaries he had watched later, Jiang Che said, half guessing and half guessing:
"Oh, that's probably for warding off evil spirits..."

"Copper nails, huh...maybe they just look nice!"

He himself didn't know if what he said was right or wrong, but Shirley listened with a look of admiration: "Unnie knows so much!"

"Haha, it's just so-so."

Then Shirley probably let loose completely, and her laughter became noticeably more frequent. She not only obediently cooperated with Jiang Che's various funny poses for photos, but also took the initiative to take photos of Jiang Che and him together.

Jiang Che was happy to cooperate. The two of them were like a mischievous older brother and a lively younger sister, and their interaction was natural and loving. PD Na, who was watching from behind, nodded repeatedly and signaled the VJ to capture more close-ups.

And behind them...

The three elder brothers, Kang Ho-dong, Lee Soo-geun, and Eun Ji-won, followed a few steps behind, chatting quietly as they strolled around, occasionally exclaiming in amazement at the magnificent architecture.

Looking at the scene, PD Koro felt it was increasingly incongruous and couldn't help but mutter to the assistant PD:
"Ugh...this scene looks just like a beautiful girl being followed by a pervert. And those three in the back...aren't they a bit redundant? I feel like the scene would be more beautiful if they were cut out..."

The assistant PD barely suppressed a laugh:
“PD-nim, Ho-dong-ssi and the others will cry.”

"Sigh, that's true." PD Na sighed regretfully. After a simple lunch of local delicacies, the team headed towards the second stop of their trip—the Great Wall.

The car drove towards the suburbs, and after it came to a stop, the group got out one by one. Shirley looked up at the majestic dragon-like formation winding and coiling among the towering mountains, its beginning and end nowhere in sight, and couldn't help but exclaim in amazement:
"Wow, it's so magnificent, unnie! Was this really all built by the ancients with their own hands?"

"Otherwise what? It can't be aliens helping, right?" Jiang Che chimed in with a smile, instinctively reaching out to rub her head, but Shirley cleverly dodged to the side.

"Hey, I didn't touch it," Shirley smiled smugly, then energetically grabbed Jiang Che's hand:
"Unnie, let's go up quickly!"

"Hey! Slow down!" Jiang Che was pulled along by her, and followed with a helpless smile.

Both men were young and in excellent physical condition, taking several steps at a time, as if they had eaten a lot of chewing gum and couldn't stop. This made things difficult for the three older brothers, Kang Ho-dong, Lee Soo-geun, and Eun Ji-won, who were following behind.

"Oh...oh...slow down, you two sisters!" Li Shougen gasped for breath, supporting himself on his knees.

"These steps... why do they never end..." Eun Ji-won gasped.

Looking at the seemingly endless steps and slope, Jiang Hudong felt that he might die here today.

"Damn... how long will this take?"

PD Na followed at the back, looking at the two completely different groups of people in front of him—a group of energetic young girls versus a group of elderly tourists—and felt an urge to cut them all out of the show once again.

There were many tourists on the Great Wall, and soon someone recognized them.

"It's Im Yoona!"

Wow! Choi Sulli!

"Yoona unnie! Look here! Saranghaeyo!"

The screams and shouts were mainly directed at Kang Cheol, since Yoona had previously had a drama airing in China, and Kang Cheol's impressive Chinese speaking skills had led to a surge in Yoona's Chinese fanbase.

Jiang Che glanced at the fans, then leaned close to Shirley's ear:

“Sulli, let me teach you a Chinese phrase, and you can say it to your fans.”

"Inside? What?"

"wo——ai——ni——men——"

Upon hearing this, Shirley couldn't help but look at Jiang Che:

"Unnie, I know that line!"

Jiang Che was a little embarrassed and laughed it off.

Sulli was completely helpless against this unnie, so she turned to the fans and waved vigorously, shouting:
"You little bastards!"

(End of this chapter)