Peninsula: My cheat code is unscientific

Chapter 48 Feelings (A Newcomer Seeking Everything)
I thought it was just because I wasn't good enough, but after seeing the suppressed laughter of the staff around me and asking why, I found out that I had been carrying an empty box the whole time.

Upon hearing the truth, Yoo Jae-suk was filled with remorse and regret. He recalled how he had arrogantly declared in front of the camera that he would teach Im Yoon-ah her first lesson, and felt as if the bullet he had fired had ended up back on him.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Che immediately switched to his obedient and docile demeanor:
"Ani-oh, Jae-seok oppa~ I was going to tell you, but you were too fast, I didn't even have time to finish speaking before you ran off."

She completely shirked responsibility and even added insult to injury: "When I saw Oppa running away, I thought to myself, I hope that in the future I can be as energetic as Jae-suk Oppa!"

“I…you…” Yoo Jae-suk was so choked up that he didn’t know what to say. He had a lump in his throat, unable to breathe properly.

Lee Kwang-soo was trying so hard not to laugh that his shoulders were shaking and his face was flushed. Out of friendship with his teammates, he wanted to go up and pat Yoo Jae-suk on the back to comfort him.

As soon as he reached out, Yoo Jae-suk, who was on the verge of exploding, slapped him hard across the face.

"Get away! You're no good either! If it weren't for you, would I have been fooled? If it weren't for you, how could I have been stuffed into a taxi by Yoona!"

The more Yoo Jae-suk spoke, the more sense it made; his logic instantly clicked. He transferred all his pent-up frustration onto Lee Kwang-soo, his eyes widening in disbelief.

"Hey! Lee Kwang-soo! If you hadn't been holding a fan meeting at the airport, would I have gone to the trouble of stealing a suitcase because I didn't have one?! If you hadn't been holding a fan meeting at the airport..."
When I needed you by the taxi, weren't you there?! If you hadn't been late, would I have been fooled by an empty box?! You're the cause of everything!
"Hey! You giraffe! You troublemaker!"

As Yoo Jae-suk roared, he raised his hand and began to deliver a series of blows to Lee Kwang-soo's back.

Lee Kwang-soo was struck by the sudden attack of the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms, wincing in pain and feeling aggrieved.
"Ouch! Bro! How can you blame me?! It was you who believed Yoona...you...ouch!" Before he could finish saying "stupid," he was slapped back at him.

Just as Yoo Jae-suk was having a blast, the production team announced that they were going to climb the tower. Everyone's eyes were drawn to the dizzying height, and Yoo Jae-suk stopped what he was doing.

Jiang Che's gaze swept over Li Shengli, wondering if he should report him beforehand. But then he thought it was too dangerous. He didn't have any evidence, and even if he did, it might be useless.

I'm too weak and inexperienced to compete with others right now, so I need to make money quickly and turn it into capital so I can protect myself and even...

He reaffirmed his resolve: 'It's time to step up efforts to persuade rich women to invest—no, I mean, to achieve a win-win partnership!'

There's no chance with Yoona, who's incredibly shrewd; she's a real tightwad. So the only option left is...

Thinking of this, Jiang Che's gaze naturally fell on Kim Tae-yeon, who was drooling over the Macau Tower beside him. His eyes were filled with fervor.

Kim Tae-yeon seemed to feel Kang Cheol's burning gaze and turned her head blankly. She didn't know what she was imagining, but she nodded vigorously at Kang Cheol, clenching her little fist: "Yoona, Fighting!"

Jiang Che: "..."

Looking at Taeyeon, who was clearly terrified but was still telling him to fight, Jiang Che felt that Taeyeon was perfectly embodying what it meant to be both cowardly and hardworking.

He instinctively reached out and very naturally ruffled Taeyeon's hair, his tone filled with a smile and reassurance:
"Fighting, unnie, don't be afraid. At worst, I'll dance your part too."

Hmm... I must say, it feels surprisingly nice to hold. But his casual gestures and offhand remarks had a completely different effect on Kim Tae-yeon, who was on edge at the moment.

Just as she was feeling scared, the warm touch on her head and the words "Don't be afraid" were like a small stone thrown into her heart, creating a subtle ripple.

But this feeling of being comforted like a child instantly brought out her pride as an unnie.

"Ouch! Touching your head will stunt your growth!" Taeyeon reacted as if she'd been burned, quickly slapping away Kang Cheol's hand, her ear tips slightly red and her cheeks puffed out slightly.
"I'm the unnie! Don't be so disrespectful! Who, who's afraid of me!"

After slapping Jiang Che's hand away, she immediately looked up, pretending to be engrossed in studying the structure of the Macau Tower, as if she wasn't the one whose heart skipped a beat from the head pat.

Jiang Che stared blankly at his severed hand for a moment, then chuckled. Fine, the short-statured boss's authority cannot be violated.

He didn't think much of it, assuming it was just Taeyeon being too proud, and his attention quickly returned to the serious matter of how to persuade... no, how to invite this rich woman to start a great business together.

Sunny, who was standing next to her and whose palms were sweating with nervousness, happened to catch this moment between the two. She blinked, inexplicably feeling that the scene before her had a feel of an idol drama.
She couldn't help but shudder slightly, quickly shaking off this inappropriate association—she was about to die, what was she thinking!
Soon after, the group took the elevator to the top of the 233-meter-high Macau Tower. The view outside the glass wall of the observation deck was stunning, offering a panoramic view of the Macau Peninsula. Inside the glass wall, however, the group was in various poses.

"Waaah..." A small animal-like wail broke the silence first. Taeyeon grabbed Kang Cheol's arm almost instantly, her face pale, feeling her heart pounding so fast it felt like it was going to jump out of her throat.

Sunny wasn't much better off; she stood close to Taeyeon, her voice slightly unsteady.

"This...this tower is sturdy, isn't it? It won't suddenly crack, will it? I've heard..."

"No, you don't want to hear this! Please stop imagining things!" Upon hearing this, Taeyeon wished she had two more hands to cover her ears as well.

On the other side, Yoo Jae-suk and Lee Kwang-soo, these two unfortunate buddies, also looked ashen-faced. Yoo Jae-suk's hand, adjusting his glasses, was trembling slightly as he tried to maintain his composure with the professionalism of a host.

"Ladies and gentlemen, what we are seeing now is the world-famous Macau Tower. Wow, the view is absolutely amazing!" The tone of the last three words sounded like he was giving his last words.

Lee Kwang-soo perfectly delivered the meme-worthy expression of a startled giraffe, his long arms and legs seemingly having nowhere to go, as if he wanted to curl up into a ball:
"Brother...Brother! I feel like the floor is stuck to me! I feel like I can't move?!"

Haha clutched his heart, taking small, hesitant steps. Kim Jong-kook remained calm, while Gary's lips moved slightly, as if he were praying to various deities. The entire observation deck evoked a sense of déjà vu, reminiscent of precious footage of early humankind taming of the skies.

Although Taeyeon's grip on his arm was painful, it didn't dampen Jiang Che's amused mood at all. A slight smile played on his lips as he watched the expressions of those around him with great interest.
If it weren't for the fact that he had to maintain his persona every time the camera panned over, he would have even taken out his phone to take a few photos and send them to Yoona later.

But just as his gaze swept over the trembling crowd like he was inspecting troops, he unexpectedly discovered a discordant element.

Lee Seung-ri.

(End of this chapter)