Peninsula: I can steal the luck of disgraced celebrities

When Lin Puzhi pushed open the door of the Murakami Café, the wind chimes rang once.

It was very light, like a sigh.

Ha Joo-hee was squatting behind the bar arranging cups when she heard the sound and looked up.

Her gaze first fell on his face, then moved down to his soaked trouser legs.

The mud and water had dried halfway, forming hard, grayish-white clumps, leaving the area below the knees a mess.

"Did you fall into the ditch?"

"Almost." Lin Puzhi walked to the bar and sat down.

As usual, Donggua was sleeping next to the coffee machine with its tail draped over the handle. Hearing the noise, it opened one eye to look at him, then closed it again.

Ha Joo-hee stood up, took a clean towel from under the bar, and handed it to her. "Wipe yourself off."

Lin Puzhi took the towel and wiped his trouser legs haphazardly.

Some of the mud was rubbed off, but the water stains had seeped deep into the fabric and couldn't be wiped away.

He folded the towel and placed it on the bar.

"It's new." Ha Joo-hee glanced at the mud-stained towel. "You'll have to pay for it."

"Deduct it from my salary."

"Do you still have a salary?" Ha Joo-hee turned around and took a cup from the shelf. "I gave you triple pay for Christmas last time, and you even borrowed 30 won from me afterwards."

Lin Puzhi thought about it and realized that there was indeed such a thing.

He basically donates all his money, leaving himself only about a month's living expenses.

Last month, I went to film a movie in the Warring States period across borders without receiving any payment, so I overspent.

"Then we'll pay you back together when the payment for 'Bad Guy' comes through."

Ha Joo-hee paused for a moment. "You got it?"

"have no idea."

"Then how will you return it to me?"

"I don't know which role I'll get."

Ha Joo-hee didn't answer; she pushed the coffee cup in front of him.

No sugar, no milk, pure black.

Lin Puzhi picked up the glass and took a sip; the bitterness made him frown.

"Why is today so tough?"

"I don't know why, but the beans were over-roasted today."

Ha Joo-hee poured herself a glass, took a sip, and her expression remained unchanged.

Lin Puzhi put down his cup. "I had a lot of bad luck today."

"explain."

"I stepped on ice while walking, got splashed by a car, and almost got hit by a flowerpot."

Ha Joo-hee's eyebrows twitched.

"There are three thugs too."

"A thug?"

"They tried to rob us in the alley." Lin Puzhi stretched his ankle, which made a slight clicking sound. "I told them a story."

"What story?"

"A story that encourages people to study hard and improve themselves every day; doing bad things is wrong..."

Ha Joo-hee paused for a moment, then smiled.

It's not a loud, hearty laugh, but a smile where the corners of your mouth curve up, and your eyes follow suit.

It was like a warm light suddenly turning on in winter.

"They believed it?"

"They discussed it for a while, and while they were talking, I ran away."

Ha Joo-hee smiled again.

She put down her coffee cup, leaned against the bar, and looked at him.

The light shone down from above, casting the shadow of her eyelashes onto her cheekbones.

"Have you done something heinous?"

"Heaven have mercy on me, what bad things could a nobody like me, a third-rate actor, possibly do?"

Pinocchio.

Donggua finally opened his eyes completely, jumped off the bar, walked to Lin Puzhi's feet, and rubbed against his trouser leg.

The cat paused for a moment, then looked up at him as it rubbed against the dried muddy spot.

His eyes held a look of disdain that seemed to say, "How could you be so mean?"

Then it shook its paws and walked away.

Lin Puzhi watched as the winter melon cat jumped back onto the bar counter, rested its tail on the coffee machine handle again, and closed its eyes.

Even the cat dislikes me.

"I can give you a chance to confess to me, and I will forgive you on God's behalf."

"I'm sorry, I'm a Buddhist." Lin Puzhi made an Amitabha gesture.

He Zhuxi chuckled but did not answer.

Lin Puzhi leaned against the bar counter, looking at the wall clock, watching the second hand go round and round.

The bad luck will return in twenty minutes; nothing should happen in the coffee shop now.

Flower pots won't fall from the ceiling, cars won't drive in and splash water, and thugs won't push open the door to rob you.

That's what he thought.

At that moment, the door was pushed open.

The wind chimes rang once, louder than before, as if someone had pushed the door open with greater force.

Lin Puzhi turned his head.

Jang Nara stood at the door.

She was wearing a camel-colored long coat and carrying a plastic bag from a convenience store.

Standing at the doorway, backlit, the expression on his face was not very clear.

Then she saw Lin Puzhi.

What are you doing here?

"That's my line," Lin Puzhi said. "What are you doing here?"

That's not how it is in Ga La Ge Mu Li.

You should be a permanent NPC at the Starlight Welfare Home. I will increase your favorability through dialogue.

Then, once I've maxed out your affection level and you can't live without me anymore...

You'll find that I'm so outstanding that more than a dozen women like me at the same time, but you can't live without me anymore and can only let me build a harem.

How come you left Starlight Welfare Home before I even maxed out my affection level with you?!

"I was just passing by and saw that this store had a nice decor, so I came in to give it a try."

Jang Nara walked in and placed the plastic bag on the bar counter.

Winter Melon Cat opened one eye and glanced at her, then closed it again.

Jang Nara sat down next to Lim Pak-ji.

Ha Joo-hee glanced at Jang Nara, then turned to Lin Puzhi, "You know him?"

"My friend, I met him at the orphanage."

"oh--"

Ha Joo-hee drew out the "oh" very long.

"Since he's Lin Puzhi's friend, then he's my friend too. What would you like to drink? It's on me," He Zhuxi said with a smile.

"No need, how could I let you spend money?" Jang Nara returned a sweet smile.

She flipped through the menu and finally said, "A latte, warm, please."

"it is good."

Ha Joo-hee turned to grind coffee.

The shop seemed to quiet down, with only the sounds of the coffee machine and Donggua snoring remaining.

Perhaps there's also the voice of Lin Puzhi's heart.

He stared intently at the minute hand of the clock on the wall. "Dead hand, hurry up! Why is time moving so slowly?"

As if making a casual remark, Jang Nara asked:

"I heard you got along very well with the cast and crew of 'The Warring States,' and even with Jing Tian."

Lin Puzhi scratched his head. "Haha, it wasn't that great, was it? We're all buddies!"

"Dude? That means you're so close you'd share a bed."

"...How do you understand the word 'bro'?"

Is this a way of thinking and understanding from the perspective of people from the Three Kingdoms period?

Just kidding.

Jang Nara seemed to be joking and didn't say that again.

A latte would be fine.

Ha Joo-hee placed a coffee cup in front of Jang Nara.

She sat down at the bar, took out a notebook from under the table, and placed it in front of Lin Puzhi.

Lin Puzhi reached out to take it, "This is..."

"The Christmas present I owe you, a supporting role in a TV series." Ha Joo-hee didn't look at Lim Pak-ji, but instead stroked Donggua's hair. "But the schedule clashes with 'Bad Man,' so I wasn't planning on giving it to you, since you said it was a sure thing."

"Then why take it out at all?"

"Because you are Pinocchio, this show will be your guarantee."

Lin Puzhi understood what He Zhuxi meant; he felt that what He Zhuxi said was unreliable.

"……Thanks."

If this is in a remote corner, the female protagonist can increase the male protagonist's affection level by giving him gifts, which will unlock a special CG.

But the reality is, Jang Nara was also there.

She took a sip of her latte, then placed the cup on the table and said:

"Speaking of Christmas gifts, I also happened to give someone a role from a TV series last time."

"However, my drama was a big-budget film with an investment of nearly 200 billion won."

"That person seems to owe me a Christmas present."

"Who is this person? I can't remember. Park Ji-ssi, do you have any clue?"

Ha Joo-hee, at this moment, also realized the other party's identity.

The two people sitting opposite each other at the bar simultaneously turned their gazes to each other, then looked at Lin Puzhi.

It seems to be waiting for an answer.