Peninsula: My cheat code is unscientific

Chapter 145 Sherry, the Bystander (6k views, 1726 likes)

She instinctively leaned forward, her eyes gleaming with curiosity, ready to delve deeper into this shocking revelation:

"Oppa, so you and Taeyeon unnie are..."

Jiang Che was both amused and exasperated by her expression—it seemed this girl was just observing the drama unfold! So he reached out and lightly flicked her smooth forehead, promptly interrupting her further questioning:
"Don't be a child and always pry into adults' affairs."

"Ouch!" Shirley covered her forehead and pouted.
"Oppa, I'm an adult now!"

“Even though you’re an adult, you’re still younger than me.” Jiang Che unceremoniously exercised his oppa authority, casually pulling her to the sandbag in the training room:
"Alright, now that we've covered the theory, let's move on to the practical part." Jiang Che patted the sturdy sandbag, producing a dull "thump, thump" sound.

"Do you remember the key points I just taught you? Now, imagine it as those negative comments online, those people or things that make you unhappy, or... anything you want to punch."

"Someone or something that makes you unhappy? Something you want to punch?"

Shirley repeated the words softly as she began to kick the heavy sandbag. At first, her movements were a little clumsy and hesitant, but soon she seemed to find her rhythm, and her strength gradually increased.

"Yes, that's it. Keep the rhythm and be decisive when you exert force." Jiang Che crossed his arms and gave instructions from the side.

Shirley didn't respond, only pursed her lips, her eyes fixed intently on the sandbag. Her attacks became faster and faster, but her movements gradually lost their rhythm. Fine beads of sweat appeared on her forehead, and her breathing became rapid.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

The sounds of striking echoed in the training room, growing increasingly muffled and forceful.

Jiang Che frowned slightly, sensing something was wrong. Shirley's state didn't seem like she was practicing; it was more like... venting? Her eyes were no longer serious as they had been at the beginning, but instead held a suppressed anger and resentment.

Suddenly, she delivered a powerful side kick, causing the sandbag to bounce back violently. Sherry staggered from the impact. Jiang Che was about to step forward when he saw that she had already used both hands to firmly hold back the sandbag that was shaking again, and her shoulders began to tremble uncontrollably.

Soft, suppressed sobs came intermittently.

Jiang Che was taken aback.

"Shirley?"

That sound seemed to have flipped a switch.

Shirley suddenly raised her head, her face already streaked with tears. As if she had used up all her strength, she hugged the heavy sandbag, slid down to her knees, and burst into tears.

"Why...why did you say that about me..."

She cried out, her voice muffled by tears:
"What did I do wrong..."

"I am not a traitor... I did not hurt anyone..."

"I hate them...I hate those looks...I hate those words!"

Her cries grew louder and louder, filled with helplessness and pain, as if she were trying to pour out all the grievances and fears that had been building up in her heart.

Seeing her hysterical state, Jiang Che understood. He didn't immediately step forward, but simply stood quietly to the side, letting her release all her emotions. After all, some things, if bottled up for too long, can really make you sick.

After a long while, Shirley's crying gradually turned into intermittent sobs, and then into exhausted choking sobs.

At this moment, Jiang Che unscrewed a bottle of water, took a few tissues, walked over to her and squatted down. He handed her the water and tissues, then reached out and very gently ruffled her hair.

The voice was much softer than usual:
"Miannei, did Oppa just say something that reminded you of something unpleasant?"

Shirley sobbed, instinctively taking the water and sipping it. The icy water flowed over her burning throat, bringing a moment of clarity.

She hastily wiped away the tears and sweat from her face with a tissue, not daring to look up at Jiang Che, and said shamefully:

"No...it's not Oppa's fault...it was me...did I scare you...?"

Jiang Che rubbed Shirley's head vigorously again:

"That's not true. People who love you will still love you no matter how bad you are."

These words struck her like a thunderbolt. She finally looked up, staring blankly at Jiang Che, and in a daze...

The figure of Jiang Che before her eyes unexpectedly overlapped with a similar figure who had given her encouragement on a night in a foreign land in her memory…

She blinked hard, and when she looked again, she could still clearly see Jiang Che oppa in front of her.

Jiang Che noticed her unusual behavior and, seeing her staring blankly at him, lowered his hand in confusion.
"What's wrong? Is there something on my face?"

"Ah! No, no!" Shirley hurriedly shook her head, but her heart skipped a beat for no reason. This illusion was too strange. Why did she keep thinking of Kang Cheol oppa as Yoona unnie?
To cover up her embarrassment, she quickly lowered her head and pretended to fix her hair.

Looking at Shirley's appearance and checking the time, Jiang Che felt that today's "self-defense introductory class" was about to end. Her emotions had been fluctuating wildly, and her physical strength was exhausted. Continuing to practice would not be good.

Moreover, seeing Shirley's complete outburst just now, a certain thought began to stir in his mind.

Yoona and Taeyeon's relationship has just improved, why not strike while the iron is hot? Sulli seems to need to relax too...

Thinking of this, he immediately took out his phone and typed to Shirley:
"Alright, that concludes today's lesson. Come on, let's go get something delicious to eat, as compensation for all the energy you've used and for what I just told you."

"Huh? Me? I guess I don't need it..."

Sulli instinctively wanted to refuse. Although she had always regarded Oppa as Unnie, he was not her real Unnie after all.

"No trouble at all." Jiang Che didn't even look up, his fingers flying across the screen.

"I'll invite a few people over, it'll be a good opportunity for a get-together."

He quickly opened the "Girls' Generation and Temporary Workers" group chat and began editing a message:
[Jiang Cheol: @All members, let's have dinner at Sunny's house tonight to celebrate the historic reconciliation.]

[Sunny: My home?]

[Jiang Che: Yes, cousin.]

[sunny: Get lost.jpg You're really addicted to yelling like that, aren't you?]

[Jiang Che: It's not really an addiction issue, it's just that Shirley is coming over tonight, so I wanted to practice beforehand]

Sunny: ...

[Jiang Che: Where are the other two?]

[sunny: Still practicing]

[Jiang Che: Then how come you... never mind, just remember to tell them]

After sending the message, he didn't wait for Sunny's reply, put away his phone, and smiled at Shirley beside him:
"All done. Yoona and Taeyeon should be coming too, let's go together."

Shirley was completely stunned.

Yoona unnie... and Taeyeon unnie... will they both come?

Ex-boyfriend, ex-girlfriend, and the captain who "fell in love with his teammate's ex-boyfriend"...?
This group is having dinner together?
Just imagining that scene was unbelievable to her, and it even temporarily eased the fatigue and sadness she felt after venting. She swallowed back the words she was about to say to refuse, and her intense curiosity instantly took over.

"Well... then, I'll have to bother you, Oppa."

She nodded and agreed. She suddenly had a strong urge to go and see the meal.

After packing their things, the two left the gym and walked to the parking lot. Jiang Che once again very naturally tossed the car keys to Shirley.

"Here, you drive."

Shirley caught the keys in a flustered manner, her face full of helplessness:
"Oppa! It's me again?"

Jiang Che opened the car door, got into the passenger seat, fastened his seatbelt, and immediately gave a reason:
"Practice makes perfect, and after a few tries, you'll be a pro. The more you practice, the better; who knows, you might even become an F1 driver someday!"

Shirley looked at the keys in her hand, then glanced at Jiang Che, who was already sitting comfortably, sighed resignedly, got into the driver's seat, and adjusted the seat and rearview mirror, her movements still somewhat clumsy.

The car slowly drove out of the parking lot. Shirley stared intently ahead, her hands gripping the steering wheel tightly, afraid of making the slightest mistake. Jiang Che, sitting next to her, continued talking non-stop:

"See? I told you practice makes perfect. She drove much more steadily this time than last time. Who knows, we might actually see Shirley on the F1 track someday!"

Shirley thought this oppa was really daring, and finally couldn't help but speak up, trying to interrupt the magic with magic:
"Oppa... I'm a little curious, how do you usually get along with Yoona unnie and Taeyeon unnie?"

This question seemed to have stumped Jiang Che; he stroked his chin.
"Just... let's get along like that. Eat when it's time to eat, chat when it's time to chat. Don't pry into things, you're just a kid."

Sulli puffed out her cheeks: "Oppa, I'm 21."

"Yes, yes, yes," Jiang Che replied dismissively.

Shirley was furious, silently vowing to herself, 'I must find out the truth.'

Thanks to Shirley's diligent driving, the car finally arrived at Sunny's apartment building without any major incidents.

After entering, Jiang Che gestured to Shirley:

"Please make yourself at home. I'll go prepare dinner."

After saying that, he went straight into the kitchen. He opened the refrigerator; even though he'd checked it that morning, seeing the dazzling array of ingredients inside, he couldn't help but sigh inwardly:

'Sun-kyu, besides loving video games, you're really a good person. Even though you were eating instant noodles yesterday, you still made sure to eat so many vegetables and meat…'

He casually took out some meat and side dishes and started getting busy.

Shirley obediently responded and sat down on the living room sofa, feeling both excited and nervous—they were about to have their moment together!
Not long after, she heard the sound of a key turning at the door. She immediately sat up straight, her eyes fixed on the doorway. The door opened, and Sunny was the first to enter. Her face was gloomy, as if the whole world owed her money. She threw her bag on the sofa and went straight to the refrigerator to grab a bottle of water.

Following closely behind her was Taeyeon, whose demeanor was completely different. She acted like a submissive wife, following closely behind Sunny.

His face was plastered with an almost fawning smile, and his eyes kept glancing at Sunny, as if observing the other's emotions.

"Sunny, are you still angry? I'm sorry, really..."

Taeyeon's voice was soft, with a clear hint of pleading.

Sulli's pupils dilated slightly—what was going on? Taeyeon unnie's attitude…did she have a fight with Sunny unnie? Why? Her little brain immediately started working at lightning speed.
'Could it be because of Taeyeon unnie and Kang Cheol oppa that Sunny unnie, as her cousin, disagrees with this marriage? That makes sense, after all, Kang Cheol oppa is Yoona's ex-boyfriend.'

Last to enter was Yoona, who appeared completely calm, even with a hint of anticipation. She closed the door, saw a bewildered Sulli in the living room, and winked at her.

Then his gaze fell on the two strange people in front of him, and when he saw Taeyeon's timid appearance, he couldn't help but smile, clearly trying to suppress his laughter.

Hearing the noise, Jiang Che peeked out from the kitchen. He glanced at Sunny, whose expression was unfriendly, and then at Taeyeon, who was wearing a forced smile.

Wisely, she didn't use the dangerous term "cousin," but instead tentatively spoke, her tone carrying a hint of uncertainty:

"That...heartbreak?"

He shouldn't have mentioned it; the moment he brought up the words "heartbreak," Sunny exploded like a firecracker, whirling around and nearly throwing her water bottle at Taeyeon.

Pointing angrily at her, he accused Jiang Che and the others:

"Oh my god! What a mess she's made?!"

Her shout startled Shirley.

Sunny's chest heaved with anger, and she spoke rapidly:
"When I went to the company today, the way Tiffany looked at me was so tender and loving! I was wondering if this silly tomboy had gone mad."

She even gave me a hug and said:
"Sun-kyu, it's okay, we'll always love you."

I asked her and found out she'd unfairly pinned the blame on me! I explained for ages that I wasn't heartbroken! She wouldn't believe me! She said I was forcing a smile! Did she expect me to just cry whenever I wanted?! No way! Forcing a smile?!

"Pfft—" Yoona finally couldn't help but laugh out loud, then quickly covered her mouth, but her shoulders were still shaking.

Shirley, standing to the side, was also dumbfounded. Heartbreak? Sunny unnie? With whom? She felt like a badger that had fallen into a melon patch; before she could even finish eating one melon, an even bigger one rolled over next to her!

Seeing Sunny's outburst, Jiang Che tried hard to suppress his laughter and offered a seemingly reasonable suggestion:
"Why not just let Taeyeon explain? The one who tied the knot must untie it."

Upon hearing this, Taeyeon gave an awkward smile, her eyes darting around, and muttered under her breath:

“I…I explained…I said Sun-kyu wasn’t heartbroken, that I was just joking that day…but Tiffany…she doesn’t seem to believe me…”

"Hey! Kim Taeyeon!" Sunny completely exploded, stepping forward and slapping Taeyeon's arm.
"It's all your fault! Why did you have to make up such a reason?! You had to say I was heartbroken! And now you're still calling me Soon-kyu."

Taeyeon yelled "Aww!" and covered her arm, trying to dodge. Sunny wouldn't let it go, chasing after her and slapping her every now and then.

"Hey! Lee Soon-kyu! Stop hitting her! How can you blame me if she doesn't believe me!"

Taeyeon screamed and, taking full advantage of her petite size, began to perform a wonderful "Qin King circling the pillar" around the coffee table, sofa, and even Yoona who was standing by watching the show.

Yoona watched the chaotic scene and laughed even harder, sometimes even stopping Taeyeon as she passed by.

He "inadvertently" reached out and slapped her again, perfectly illustrating the meaning of "wanting to stir up trouble" and "kicking someone when they're down".

Taeyeon was caught in the middle of the two, looking disheveled. As she was being slapped on the back by Sunny again and hurriedly ran past Yoona, Sunny accidentally flicked her hand and slapped Yoona's pert buttocks with a soft "smack".

Yoona's smile froze instantly, then blushed, both embarrassed and annoyed.

"Hey! Unnie!"

Sulli was dazzled by the scene and hadn't even had time to process the chaos when Taeyeon, who was fleeing, grabbed Sulli and pulled her up from the sofa, using her as a temporary shield.

"Bang!" Sunny's slap landed squarely on Shirley's arm.

"Oh dear!" Shirley exclaimed, both amused and exasperated.

"Sunny unnie! You've hit the wrong person!"

Sunny was also stunned for a moment, and quickly stopped:

"Mianne, Shirley, you've hit the wrong person."

Taeyeon hid behind Sulli, peeking out half her head, and offered a completely insincere apology:
"I'm sorry, Shirley, Sunny didn't mean it."

"You don't need to tell me, Taeyeon, stay still."

Sunny continued chasing after him, about to make a move.

"Hey, if you're so capable, then don't make a move, and I won't."

Taeyeon is at it again, circling around the pillar like the King of Qin.

Looking at the war that was caused by "heartbreak" in front of her, Shirley finally understood that Sunny unnie's "heartbreak" story was a completely fabricated fabrication!

But... looking at the lively scene now, she couldn't help but smile.

Watching them playfully bicker, Jiang Che felt that the previous coldness and distance between them had indeed vanished, which made him happy. However, if they kept playing like this, who knew how long it would last?
So he finally clapped his hands and raised his voice:
"Alright, alright everyone! Go wash your hands, dinner's almost ready! Stop playing around, I'm going to get the food."

His voice successfully stopped the pursuers.

Sunny glared at Taeyeon, panting, and finally let her off the hook for the time being. Taeyeon felt like she had been granted a pardon and quickly tidied her messy clothes and hair.

Yoona smiled and pulled Sulli aside, whispering something to her. Then, the group walked together towards the restroom.

After everyone washed their hands and came out, Shirley looked at the table full of delicious-looking dishes, her eyes flashing with undisguised amazement. Although she had already thought Kang Cheol oppa's breakfast was quite good last time,
But the formal meal before her, with its presentation and enticing aroma alone, was enough to make one's mouth water. She sincerely praised it:
"Wow... Kang Cheol oppa, you're amazing, these all look so delicious."

As Jiang Che distributed tableware to everyone, he casually replied:
"There's no other way; it's necessary to survive. It's always good to have more skills."

As everyone took their seats, Taeyeon and Yoona almost habitually sat on either side of Kang Cheol. This seemingly casual seating choice made Sulli, who was secretly observing, glance at them.

After Taeyeon sat down, she quickly picked up a golden-brown, crispy chicken leg, but instead of putting it in Kang Cheol's bowl as Sulli had expected, she put it in Sunny's bowl with a sweet, adorable smile on her face.
"Shun... oh no, Sunny, have a chicken leg to calm down."

Sunny glanced at the enormous chicken leg in the bowl, then looked up at Taeyeon's pleading face, and gave a soft snort.
However, considering that the first chicken leg was given to her instead of Jiang Che, she reluctantly forgave the captain who fabricated the rumors.

The atmosphere at the table actually became more harmonious and natural because of this little incident. Everyone enjoyed the food, chatted about light topics, occasionally passed each other food, and laughed frequently.

Sulli enjoyed the warm and lively atmosphere, which was completely different from the occasions when she was alone in a cold room or had to force a smile. But looking at the strange trio opposite her—Kang Cheol in the middle, with Taeyeon and Yoona on either side;
Watching him naturally put Yoona's favorite food on his plate, and then casually push the plate that Taeyeon couldn't reach closer; watching Yoona complain, "Don't put food on my plate, I can eat by myself," but she didn't actually move the food aside;

Watching Taeyeon nod with sparkling eyes as she ate the dishes Kang Cheol recommended... this harmonious scene was completely different from what she had imagined, and also completely different from what was shown in the drama.

She couldn't resist any longer. She leaned closer to Sunny, who was engrossed in eating a chicken leg, lowered her voice, and kept glancing at the strange group across from them, asking curiously:

“Sunny unnie… have the three of them always gotten along like this?”

Sunny finished the chicken leg Taeyeon offered with satisfaction, and responded with a calm expression that showed she was used to it:

"Yes, it's been pretty much like that all along."

She paused, looking at Shirley's inquisitive eyes, and said teasingly:
"Don't they look like a family of three?"

Sherry nodded blankly. It did feel very similar, but something seemed off. She felt confused.

"What are you whispering about?" Jiang Che noticed the hushed conversation and asked casually.

Caught red-faced by the person involved, Sulli glanced at Taeyeon, Yoona, and Kang Cheol before finally mustering her courage and asking the question that had been nagging at her since the gym:
"Um... Yoona unnie, Taeyeon unnie... Kang Cheol oppa... what... what exactly is your relationship?"

"..."

The air seemed to freeze in an instant.

Yoona seemed to suddenly become very interested in the rice in the bowl, and she lowered her head, focusing intently on counting the grains of rice with her chopsticks;

Taeyeon quickly picked up the water glass next to her, tactically drank the water, and her eyes darted around; Sunny crossed her arms, her eyes scanning back and forth between the three of them, her face full of excitement as she watched the show.

The pressure was put on Jiang Che.

His hand holding the chopsticks froze in mid-air. Faced with Shirley's innocent yet curious gaze, his mind raced. To tell the truth? That seemed inappropriate. Should he say they were just ordinary friends?
But since he's going to be the Pirate King, he definitely needs to take on the responsibilities of the Pirate King, so sincerity is key.

After a moment's hesitation, he cleared his throat, put down his chopsticks, and carefully began to speak:
"We are working together on a very cutting-edge and innovative social science project."

"...??" Sherry blinked her big eyes, a giant question mark seemingly appearing above her head.

Ignoring Sunny's twitching lips and the shocked looks from Yoona and Taeyeon, Jiang Che continued his nonsensical ramblings with a straight face:

"This project aims to break down the barriers of traditional interpersonal relationships and explore the infinite possibilities of emotional connection. Its core goal is to build a symbiotic emotional community that transcends conventional understanding, is characterized by high mutual trust, resource sharing, and a shared destiny."

He paused, seemingly giving Shirley time to process these sophisticated terms, before concluding:
"Simply put, we hope that through our practice, we can ultimately realize the great vision of connecting us heart to heart and living together in a global village!"

Sherry: "???"

She felt like her CPU was overloaded. She recognized each word individually, but how could she understand nothing when they were put together? Social science project? Symbiotic emotional community? Heart to heart? Living in a global village? What on earth was all this?!

(End of this chapter)